Energy bills are an important part of total homeownership costs. Whether you already own a home or you are comparing homes to buy, lowering monthly utility expenses can help make a property more affordable over time.
The practical tips below focus on everyday household actions across the main systems that affect energy use. They are meant to help you reduce home energy costs without getting into technical retrofit planning.
Below are several energy-saving measures to help you save money either in your current house or future residence.
Keeping your home at a comfortable temperature uses more energy than anything else.
To save energy, install a programmable thermostat to adjust the inside temperature when you are not there for long periods of time.
Seal windows and doors to prevent air leaks, and close doors and air vents to rooms that are not often used.
Changing filters in your heating system monthly can also help it run more efficiently, with the added bonus of increasing the air quality in your home.
Heating water is usually the second highest energy expense. To cut costs, set the hot water heater at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Wrap older hot water heaters with an insulation jacket and insulate the piping leaving the water heater to prevent heat loss.
Invest in appliances with the ENERGY STAR® rating. These appliances use less energy to run and will save money.
Cleaning the coils on the back of your refrigerator will help it run more efficiently.
Washing full loads of clothes on cooler settings and keeping your dryer vent clean will also save on energy costs.
Besides turning lights off when leaving a room, pay attention to where your household uses lighting the most and choose more efficient bulbs when replacements are needed.
For day-to-day savings, focus on practical habits such as using task lighting instead of lighting an entire room, making the most of natural light during the day, and avoiding unnecessary lighting in unused spaces.
Improperly insulated houses mean high energy costs. If the attic is easily accessible, check and replace insufficient insulation to keep your living space at a more comfortable temperature.
By making energy-efficient choices you can save electricity without giving up the comforts of home. Plus, with a little extra effort these simple tips might add more money to your month as well!
If you are shopping for a home, it helps to look beyond the mortgage payment alone. Property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and utility costs all affect monthly affordability.
When comparing homes, pay attention to clues such as older insulation, the condition of the HVAC system, and whether major appliances appear outdated or efficient. Two homes with similar prices can feel very different month to month if one is more expensive to heat, cool, and operate.
Sammamish Mortgage can help. We serve clients across Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Oregon, and California. Since 1992, we’ve been providing several mortgage programs and products with flexible qualification criteria to borrowers across the Pacific Northwest. Visit our website to get an instant rate quote or to use our online mortgage calculator. Or, reach out to us if you are ready to get pre-approved for a mortgage.
Heating and cooling usually use more energy than any other system in the home. Improving thermostat settings, sealing air leaks around windows and doors, and maintaining the HVAC system can help lower those costs.
Yes. Turning off lights in unused rooms can reduce unnecessary electricity use. Savings can improve further by using efficient bulbs, relying on natural light during the day, and using task lighting instead of lighting an entire room.
Five practical ways are adjusting heating and cooling settings, lowering water-heater temperature, using efficient appliances, improving everyday lighting habits, and checking insulation. These steps can help reduce monthly utility costs without major retrofit planning.
Large systems and appliances often drive the biggest energy use, especially heating and cooling. Other common contributors include water heating, older appliances, unnecessary lighting, and heat loss caused by poor insulation or air leaks.
A programmable or smart thermostat can help by adjusting indoor temperatures when no one is home for long periods. That can reduce wasted heating and cooling use while still keeping the home comfortable when needed.
Low-cost steps include sealing drafty windows and doors, changing HVAC filters regularly, turning off unused lights, washing clothes in cooler settings, cleaning refrigerator coils, and keeping the dryer vent clean. These habits can improve efficiency without major upgrades.
The same basic habits still help in smaller spaces: adjust thermostat settings when away, avoid lighting unused areas, wash full loads on cooler settings, and pay attention to appliance efficiency. Even without access to major upgrades, everyday usage habits can reduce utility costs.
Yes. Monthly affordability is affected by more than the mortgage payment. Utility costs, along with property taxes, insurance, and maintenance, can make two similarly priced homes feel very different from month to month.
Older insulation, an aging HVAC system, drafty windows or doors, and outdated major appliances can all point to higher operating costs. Looking at these details can help buyers compare the true monthly cost of owning different homes.
It depends on the home’s condition, but poor insulation can raise heating and cooling costs even if the equipment works properly. If the attic is accessible and insulation is clearly insufficient, improving insulation may be a practical first step, while HVAC maintenance and filter changes can also improve efficiency.
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