It Pays to be Efficient
Most of the time, being more environmentally friendly simply means making better use of what you already have. If you have an older home, or even a newer one, a few simple upgrades can really reduce your impact:
- Add insulation to lower energy bills during the hottest and coldest times of the year. Common types include fiberglass, cellulose, rigid foam board and spray foam. Also consider buying door seals (weather stripping) for keeping heat inside in the winter, and outside in the summer.
- You can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent when you seal your ducts, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Is your water heater set to produce the hottest water all the time? Most people don’t think to adjust this so it’s comfortable for everyone in the house. Setting your dial to under 120 degrees can save you big bucks, and remembering to turn it down when you’re away for extended periods of time can save you even more.
And if you’re ready to make some improvements around your house, you can actually use the equity in your home to pay for it (and a lot more) with a HELOC from us.
Have you made any home improvements to decrease your environmental impact? Tell what you’ve done at Garrett Chappell (GChappell@pmcu.org).