One of your primary concerns when renovating your home should be its energy efficiency. An energy-efficient home design aims to reduce energy consumption. Besides, it also makes your home attractive to potential buyers. The article below discusses how you can improve your home's energy efficiency.

Repairs

A faulty gutter will splash rainwater on your walls hence making them damp. You may also experience this phenomenon if you have a leaking roof or foundation. Repairing these areas will keep your walls dry and reduce the amount of heat you need to warm your house. Old and broken windows will allow heat to escape. As such, consider repairs and weatherstrip them to prevent loss of heat. 

Insulation

The purpose of home insulation is to maintain prevailing temperatures by preventing the loss of heat or cool air. If the house was built over ten years ago, ask a professional to check the condition of the insulation. Although quality insulation can last a lifetime, it may be prone to water, mould and pest damage. Insulate your water heater and water lines to keep water warm during cold months. 

Lighting

Improve your home's lighting to reduce the amount of electricity needed to light up the house. For instance, you could adopt an open living design to improve the flow of light inside the house. You could also install larger windows, sliding doors and skylights. Strategically placed reflective surfaces such as wall hangings and clocks can be used to reflect light to dimly lit areas.

Appliances

Do you use energy-efficient appliances in your home? Check their energy efficiency rating to know if they are responsible for your soaring power bills. In the long run, it is cheaper to purchase an energy-efficient appliance than using an old one that needs a lot of power to run. Change your incandescent bulbs to the more efficient LED lights. 

Regular maintenance of your air conditioning system will prevent it from using too much energy. Change the air filter, clean condenser fins and the evaporator coil. 

Building Materials 

Use energy-efficient materials as you renovate your home. For example, you could use sustainably sourced timber for your deck or cabinets. Besides, you could reuse aggregate from the renovations as a base for your asphalt driveway or concrete pavements. Metal fixtures should be sold to a scrap metal dealer.

With adequate funds, you could install a solar power system to light up your home and run various appliances. 

Making your home energy efficient couldn't be any easier. Repair leaking gutters and roofs, improve the lighting, insulate the house, use energy-efficient appliances, and consider energy-efficient building materials.