Home energy efficiency tips

Ready to learn how to save energy? Energy efficient homes can help you keep costs (and greenhouse gases) down. Proper home maintenance can help increase your home’s energy efficiency. It can also help lower the risk of some hazards and insurance claims. There are countless things you can do around your home to cut back on your energy use, but here are a few of our recommended suggestions you might want to consider for maintaining an energy efficient home.

• Keep the heat in by improving your home’s insulation and making it more airtight. Caulking and weather stripping are inexpensive ways to lower air leakage from your home.
• Open the drapes or blinds and let the sun in during the day to help warm your home and close them when the sun goes down.
• Regular maintenance of your heating system is important for both efficiency and safety. Make sure it’s done once a year.
• Clean or replace your furnace filter at least every three months to keep it working smoothly.
• Gas fireplaces with sealed units maximize the heat indoors. Consider one with tightly fitted glass doors that can help make your fireplace more efficient. Traditional wood fireplaces draw heat out of your home.

• Don’t block heating vents with things like furniture, televisions or curtains.
• Use fans to help circulate heat around your home. A fan placed near a gas fireplace will push hot air into the living area.
• Close the chimney damper whenever you’re not using the fireplace.
• Vacuum dust and pet hair out of your air registers.

• Installing a programmable thermostat could save you money on your heating bill.
• Lowering the temperature on your thermostat in the winter at bedtime and before leaving your home can help lower your energy use without affecting your comfort.
• Raising the temperature on your thermostat in the summer when you’re not home can save a lot of money and energy in unnecessary air-conditioning.

• Clean your air conditioner filter at least once a season. A dirty air filter is less efficient and may damage the unit.
• Fix a broken air conditioner as soon as possible. Leaks can be very harmful to the environment.

• Dripping faucets waste water. Water from a dripping tap could fill more than 15 bathtubs in a month. So, if you have a dripping tap, fix it as soon as possible.

• Use a microwave or toaster oven instead of a conventional oven to save on energy costs. Microwave ovens don’t add heat to your kitchen, so conventional ovens may be preferred during the colder months.
• Use the right pot size for the stove you’re cooking on. For optimal efficiency, use lids on your pots to keep in heat and lower cooking time.
• Use electric kettles, instead of stovetop models, to heat water more efficiently. Clean your kettle with boiling water and vinegar to remove mineral deposits that could lower its energy efficiency.
• Use your gas barbecue in hot weather to avoid heating up your home unnecessarily.
• Buy energy-efficiency appliances. Look for the ENERGY STAR^® symbol.

• Opt for a bathroom fan with automatic humidity sensors. This fan runs long enough to remove excess moisture and then turns itself off to save electricity.
• Consider installing low-flow showerheads and toilets to lower your use of water on a regular basis.

• Adjust the water level to the size of your load when using a washing machine.
• Wash your clothes in cold water and save on the energy used toward heating water.
• Use a shorter spin cycle for lighter loads and a longer spin cycle for heavier items.
• Make sure to clean the lint filter in your dryer before each use.
• Clean your clothes dryer exhaust duct regularly, and be sure to follow safety precautions and unplug the dryer before cleaning.
• Skip the dryer and hang your clothes to dry to save the most energy.

At TD Insurance, we care about the environment — that’s why we offer Enhanced Home Coverage. With Eco-Efficient Rebuild coverage, you can get additional protection to help cover costs on environmentally friendly or energy efficient materials up to a specified limit on repairs and rebuilds, following a covered loss.
Contact us if you have any questions about our Eco-Efficient Rebuild coverage.
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