Making your home more energy efficient isn’t just good for your pocketbook, it’s good for our planet as well. When you reduce the amount of energy used to do a task, you also reduce the amount of pollution put into the air. If you’re looking to increase the energy efficiency of your home, here are a few things that you can do.

Insulation

One of the best ways to increase your home’s energy efficiency is to make sure that it is properly insulated. If you have poor insulation in your walls and attic, you’re probably letting in a lot of heat in the summer and losing a lot of heat in the winter. Proper insulation will ensure that you aren’t just wasting energy. By insulating your home you will have to use a lot less energy to heat or cool your house. If your home is poorly insulated, you’re basically losing the heat or air conditioning that you are putting into your home so you have to continuously heat or cool your home. There are several green insulation options to choose from. Some of the most popular include wool, cellulose, and recycled denim treated with fire retardant.

Windows

Your windows have the same effect as poor insulation. If your windows are old and leaky, you could be letting in unwanted air. The best way to make sure that will not happen is to replace your old windows with energy efficient windows. If you don’t have the money for something like that, there are other more inexpensive options, such as caulking. Caulk can be used to fill in the spaces between the window and the frame where the cold air is getting in. The downside to this option is that it is only temporary, and if you want to open your windows you will have to remove the caulk. You may also try using disposable interior storm window systems. These are thin sheets of plastic that are placed on either the inside or outside of your home and shrunk with a hairdryer to fit. These systems are effective; however they are not always the most aesthetic option.

Lights

Always look for lighting products with the ENERGY STAR logo. These products are considered energy efficient because they meet stringent guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. According to EnergyStar.gov, an ENERGY STAR light bulb uses 75% less energy and produces 75% less heat than standard incandescent bulbs, making it cheaper and safer to operate. ENERGY STAR light bulbs are so efficient that each one can save you more than $40 in electric costs in its lifetime. These ENERGY STAR bulbs also have the advantage of lasting six times longer than traditional incandescent, so you will save money on replacements as well.

Landscaping

Planting a few shade trees around your home can save you money and improve your home’s energy efficiency. When you plant shade trees around your home, it helps to block your house from the sun’s rays that would warm the walls and increase the temperature in your home. In the winter, trees can help to protect your home from freezing winds as well. This is something that you might want to give a shot–it saves you money, improves the overall look of your house (which could potentially increase your homes property value), and removes carbon from the air.

Guest post from Adam. Adam writes for Frugal Dad, a site that makes it easy to find Amazon promotional codes and other special deals and coupon codes.

Kudos to those responsible for the planning, funding, and
facilitating of the recent improvements at Baker’s Corner: The
widening of Central Avenue, west of Newman Avenue, and route 152,
north of Pine St., along with the installation of improved traffic
signals/timing.

Seeing as there has always been a dedicated lane, for
those wishing to turn south on Newman Ave, from Central, I, and
undoubtedly others, rejoiced at the widening  of  the left-turn only
lane for those travelling either north on route 152, or taking a right
onto Pine St. The widened lane, now spacious enough for two cement
mixers to sit abreast, I assumed was not yet bisected by a white line,
due to poor weather, and would be soon painted, to alleviate any
confusion, as to which side of the widened lane one should orient
themselves, as they either proceeded north on 152, towards Attleboro,
or briefly north on 152, and take a right onto Pine St. I was amazed
to see the widened ($$) section of the intersection now negated as a
bulbous, lined ‘no man’s land’ My head is still spinning!

Why spend the funds to widen this part of the road, ostensibly to ease traffic flow for
those going north on 152, and east, onto Pine St., and then make it
legally unusable? Waiting times at this intersection are understandably long, owing to
the need to accomodate drivers travelling in different directions, and
those approaching from Central Ave., who intend on travelling north on
152, have historically had to deal with long lines, which inevitably
lead to waiting through several cycles of the traffic signal, before
being able to proceed.

One would think, in these times of belt-tightening, and precious
resource conservation, those we entrust to make the kind of decisions
that impact us all, would have taken more time, and thought, before
implementing,such measures, which have only wasted some of the funds
alloted for these improvements, and will, in the long run, have a
negative impact not only on safe, efficient traffic flow, but the
environment as well. I’m also curious as to the pressing need for
brand new curbs, have the old ones possibly worn out? I think not. On
the plus side, at least the town of Seekonk saw fit not to obtain the
new curbing from China.

Respectfully,

Rick Tefft
29 Brewster St. Seekonk