5 Energy Efficient Ways to Help You Start Saving Today

The scorching heat of the Arizona summer is here again, and those rising temperatures follow the rising prices of your home utility bill. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), home utility bills are a homeowner's biggest expense after the mortgage. However, there are ways to mitigate this. Instituting a few enhancements and energy-efficient upgrades in your home can help you reduce your energy usage and save you money this year and for many more years.

Need help figuring out where to start? Here are five energy efficient ways to help you start saving money today:

1. Insulate your attic - Because much of Arizona enjoys mild winters, it's common to see attics lacking proper insulation. But homes lacking adequate insulation often find themselves with high electric bills. In the middle of summer, roofing materials radiate heat into attic spaces and raise the temperatures to over 150 degrees. That heavy, hot air transfers into your home and causes your air conditioner to work overtime. Proper attic insulation prevents this transfer and allows your HVAC system to become more energy efficient.
   
   
2. Plug up your leaks - It isn't just your attic prone to leaking hot and cool air out. It's common to find energy-draining air leaks throughout a household. To ensure your home is as energy efficient as possible, inspect your interior and exterior for gaps and cracks, such as around windows, doors, plumbing, and other exterior-leading piping. Handy homeowners can use caulk, weather stripping, and other sealing compounds to plug up these leaks, but for a more thorough inspection, it's best to hire a qualified technician.
   
   
3. Stop flushing away your cash - Toilets account for almost 30 percent of your home's water usage. By replacing older, gallon-guzzling models with low flush units, you can immediately reduce your home's water bill with an estimated $110+ reduction in water costs yearly. A certified energy efficient WaterSense toilet uses between 20 and 60 percent less water, offering savings as much as $2,200 over its lifetime.
   
   
4. Install a solar heater - One of Arizona's most precious resources is the sun, which has yet to be tapped to its full potential. Tapping into all that free energy just beating down on your roof and lawn is one of the best steps to crafting an energy-efficient home. And installing a solar heater is one of the smallest and most cost-effective ways to begin moving toward a solar-powered home. With sunny Arizona's ample radiant energy from the sun, replacing your old water heater with a solar option can reduce your hot water bills by as much as 80 percent.
   
   
5. More solar, more of the time -  If you already have a solar water heater and are interested in tapping into the sun's power even more or want to get the most out of the radiant power, installing solar panels is the way to go. A huge misconception is that solar systems are too costly for the average homeowner. However, taking advantage of current state and federal tax credits can dramatically reduce the upfront costs. Plus, this energy-efficient home technology will reduce your home's utility bills every month because you'll be making electricity rather than tapping into the electric grid.

To learn more about solar power and other energy-efficient ways to enhance your home and reduce your utility bills, request a free quote from Sun Valley Solar Solutions. Our qualified technicians and engineers have been installing solar panels and helping homeowners become more energy-efficient since 2006. If you’re interested in learning more about solar and if it’s the right option, we invite you to download a free copy of our latest guide, “Is Solar Right for You?”