If you are building a new home, it is the perfect time to consider ways you can make it energy efficient. This will not only save you a lot of money but is also better for the environment. Below are two ways you can do this to help you get started.
Solar Panels
If you want to save money on your electric bill, install solar panels on your home. Solar panels are known as PV (photovoltaic cells.) These cells are small batteries that harness sunlight. The sunlight is turned into energy which is sent to a special inverter that converts the energy into electricity for your home. How much electricity you receive depends on how many solar panels you install. If you have extra power that you do not use, it is stored so you will still have electric power on cloudy and rainy days.
Contact a solar panel company in your area to learn much more about using solar panels for your home so you can decide if this is something you would like to do.
Lights
Choosing energy efficient lighting will keep your electric bills lower. When you shop for lighting for your new home, only purchase lighting that has the ENERGY STAR label on them. These lightbulbs generally use 25% to 85% less energy. You can choose from a variety of bulbs that meet these new standards including LEDs, CFLs, incandescent, and halogen.
You can find these bulbs in a variety of colors including bright white, soft white, and lights that offer the colors of the sun's rays, often used for grow lights.
Adding timers to lights can help save money on electricity. These timers will shut off the lights when they are not in use. Dimmers will also save electricity when you have the lights turned down.
Do not forget about your outdoor lighting. Use LED or CFLs in your lighting fixtures. You can use the spiral CFLs in enclosed lighting fixtures. LEDs and CFLs can be used with flood lights and can withstand weather conditions, such as rain and snow. Install motion sensor lights so they are only on when they are needed to save electricity.
Energy efficient lighting is generally more expensive in the beginning but with the money you save by using them they end up costing you much less.
Talk with your home builder as they will likely have other suggestions on how you can build your home to be more energy efficient.
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