How to Make an Old House Energy Efficient?

Living in an older home has its charm, but it often comes with higher energy bills and outdated systems. Making an old house energy efficient not only reduces your carbon footprint but also improves comfort and cuts long-term costs. With a few smart upgrades—from better insulation and efficient heating systems to modern windows and appliances—you can preserve your home’s character while bringing its energy performance up to modern standards.

Homes and buildings account for 40-50% of total energy use, and much of that energy is wasted due to poor maintenance and inefficient design. Nowadays, it is essential to ensure that accommodation and workplaces are energy-efficient to reduce bills and energy waste. There are many ways to make a house energy-efficient.

• Improvement in the Building’s Structure: Since most energy waste occurs through the house’s construction —walls, roof, windows, insulation, and foundation—it is the best place to start making energy-efficient home improvements.
• Energy audit: The first step to improving your home energy efficiency is to get a professional energy audit. A certified energy auditor will assess the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy waste and will help you make a plan of action.
• Attic and Foundation: Air seal the attic and basements as both of them have air spaces, gaps, and cracks that lead to the escape of cooling and heating, thus reducing energy conservation. Proper maintenance and sealing of the attic and basement can significantly reduce the bills and thus help you save money.
• Upgrading the insulation: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, properly insulating the attic, basements, and small spaces around the house can reduce the waste of heating and cooling, helping you save up to 15% of the energy.
• Heat pump HVAC system: Heat pumps are the most cost-effective and energy-efficient options for home heating and air conditioning. In comparison to an electric heating system, a modern heat pump can reduce electricity usage for heating by up to 75%.
• Use of thermostats: Use a smart or programmable thermostat, as they can help you save energy effectively by optimizing the average use of energy. Set the thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and 78 degrees Fahrenheit in summer, as these are the optimal settings for the HVAC system that balance comfort and energy conservation.
• Air filters: Change the air filters every 1-3 months, as clogged air filters tend to reduce air flow, making your HVAC system work harder, increasing energy usage, and decreasing its efficiency. Keeping them clean is a smart move to improve energy efficiency and save money and energy.
• Dehumidifier: Use of a plug-in dehumidifier is a way to reduce energy expense, as when the air is humid, the temperature feels higher than it actually is, and then in response to that, you turn ON your AC. Using a dehumidifier maintains the air temperature to such an extent that you don’t need the fan to turn on the AC.
• Vents: Keep the vents of the house clean, as blocked vents tend to disrupt the air flow, increasing the workload on the HVAC system, thus increasing the energy consumption. For smooth air flow, keep the furniture away from the vents and make sure that the vents are clean.
• Lighting: Lighting makes up about 6% of the total energy consumption of the house; thus, making small changes in your lighting can significantly help you reduce your utility bills and energy use.
• LED Bulbs: The use of LED bulbs helps to improve the home’s energy efficiency as they use 90% less energy than incandescent lightbulbs.
• Cleaning of Light Bulbs: Dust often tends to accumulate over the light bulbs, thus blocking the light's paths, and as a response, one turns on additional lights, increasing energy usage. Simply by cleaning the bulbs, one can easily solve this problem.
• Water Heating and its Usage: Heating of water is the second largest expense that accounting for 18% of the energy usage. Installing efficient water heating systems and changing the habits of using hot water can significantly help to reduce energy waste.
• Wash clothes in Cold Water: Washing clothes uses a lot of water. Avoid using hot water for washing clothes as it uses a lot a energy. Also, using cold water for washing clothes is useful as it prevents shrinkage and fading that hot water could have caused.
• Washing Dishes: Avoid using hot water for washing dishes. Hot water is quite expensive as a lot of energy is required to heat it up. Dishes can be washed by cold water easily and this method is cost-effective as well.
• Insulation of Hot Water Pipes: Proper insulation of hot water pipes can help to reduce the loss of heat energy through water pipes and help to save energy, reducing the water heating bill.
• Heat Pump Water Heater: Installing a heat pump water heater is a smarter way to reduce the energy cost for heating water, as it pulls the heat out of the existing air and uses it to heat water that comes out of the water taps. Replacing an old electric resistance water heater with a heat pump water heater can help save $550 a year for a family of five.
• Upgrade Electronic Appliances: Replace the old appliances with new energy-efficient appliances in the market, as they are designed to reduce the cost and energy usage.
• Cleaning of Refrigerator Coils: Dirty, dusty refrigerator coils increase the workload on the fridge, leading to higher energy consumption and higher utility bills. Cleaning the coils after some time helps to reduce the workload and thus reduces energy waste.
• Geothermal HVAC system: Install a geothermal HVAC system that uses the earth’s stable temperature to generate energy that is used for heating and cooling. They are a bit expensive, but still one of the most cost-effective and energy-efficient systems that help to reduce utility bills and energy waste.

Conclusion

Nowadays, it is essential for everyone to properly maintain their household systems and use efficient ways to reduce energy and electricity expenses, thereby significantly reducing energy waste and the cost of living. There are many ways one can reduce their utility bills and overall energy expenses. By sticking to smart and cost-effective measures, an old house can also be managed perfectly. One of the biggest energy losses is unnecessary electricity use. Do make sure to turn off extra lights and fans in the house. Replace the old bulbs with new energy-efficient LED bulbs, as they use 90% less energy. During the day, use natural light instead of electric bulbs. 

Also, to reduce energy expenses, one can change habits regarding heating and cooling systems, as they are the second-most-costly energy-consuming units in the house. Avoid using hot water for washing clothes and dishes. Use insulation for hot water pipes to prevent excess heat loss from water flow. Change your habits and do not use hot water excessively for daily chores. Use of a cost-effective HVAC system can help reduce energy expenses by generating heating and cooling energy from the earth’s heat (geothermal), thus reducing the cost of heating by gas or other means. Cleaning the vents and replacing them after a while can also help reduce energy costs. Thus, by adopting small measures and switching to energy- and cost-effective appliances, one can significantly reduce energy waste and the burden on the pocket.

FAQs

How can I reduce electricity consumption effectively?

By turning off the lights, replacing old bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs, cleaning refrigerator coils once in a while, and making sure that all the unnecessary lights and fans are turned off, you can surely reduce energy consumption daily.

Is the HVAC system really energy efficient?

Yes, an HVAC system is one of the best energy-efficient appliances that helps to reduce energy consumption and utility bills.

What can one do to reduce water heating expenses?

Insulating the water pipes, reducing the use of hot water for cleaning clothes and washing dishes, and eliminating all the unnecessary things, one can certainly reduce water heating expenses.

What wastes the most energy in the house?

In houses, most of the energy consumption is usually by heating and cooling systems that significantly increase the utility bills and the cost of energy.

Does insulation help to reduce energy waste and reduce utility bills?

Yes, insulation helps to reduce the waste of energy and reduces the expense of energy by conserving heat and cool, thus maintaining the overall temperature.

How does a geothermal HVAC system work to reduce energy expense?

A geothermal HVAC system uses the earth’s energy to produce heating and cooling, thus reducing electricity and gas bills.

Is it essential to get an energy audit?

No, it is not essential to get an energy audit. It is rather preferred to get professional help to save money and reduce energy waste.

How does cleaning vents help to reduce the waste of energy?

Regular cleaning of vents allows proper airflow, thus does not demand excessive work from the heating systems. If they are blocked or not properly cleaned, the workload on the heating and cooling system is increased, and thus overall expense is also increased.