Your mortgage, property tax, and homeowner’s insurance aren’t the only ongoing costs you’ll incur when you leap into homeownership. Aside from regular maintenance and repairs, you’ll also be responsible for electric, gas, and water bills.
Depending on the size of your home, you may be in for a real surprise during hot summers or frigid winters when your first heating or cooling bill arrives. If you’d like to avoid forking over thousands of dollars per year on your utilities, it’s essential to ensure the house you’re purchasing is energy efficient. Here’s what to look for.
Must-Haves for Energy Efficiency
While some things, like energy-efficient appliances, are nice to have and can save you a few dollars on your utility bills, your windows, insulation, HVAC system, and roof are non-negotiable if you want an energy-efficient home.
1. Properly Fitting Double or Triple-Pane Windows
According to the Department of Energy, your windows are responsible for as much as 30% of your heating loss and gain. When windows aren’t airtight or lack proper insulative benefits, they can allow heat to escape during winter and hot air to enter during summer, making your HVAC system work extra hard.
You should be able to run your hand around the window frame and not feel any type of draft. Double-pane windows further aid efficiency since they have two panes of glass separated by a spacer and sometimes filled with an insulating gas. Triple pane windows take things a step further, featuring three sheets of glass separated by spacers and optionally filled with an insulative gas like argon or another thermal window filling.
2. Adequate Insulation
Insulation prevents the air in your home from escaping. So, if your HVAC system is working hard to pump out heat, but you don’t have insulation, the hot air will escape through the walls, and it will be nearly impossible to keep temperatures regulated in your home. A lack of insulation can even lead to mold problems on your drywall.
While you can communicate with the seller about the type of insulation and any upgrades, you’ll also need to perform due diligence by hiring a home inspector.
3. A Well-Maintained HVAC System
If the HVAC system is over 10-15 years old, it might be time for a replacement. Signs your HVAC system is functioning well and is energy efficient include even temperatures throughout the house and quiet operation.
A home inspector can take a look at the HVAC system to ensure it blows warm and cold air and has adequate airflow. However, it’s also important to determine its age and whether repairs have been made.
4. A Leak-Free Roof
Heat rises and escapes through roofs, especially if they aren’t airtight. An old roof can significantly raise your energy bills and become a source for future leaks and water damage. The type of roof and roof material also matter. Metal roofs, for example, can last upwards of 70 years, saving you from costly roof replacements, but they don’t perform well in extreme temperatures.
Nice To Haves for Energy Efficiency
If you want to up your home’s energy efficiency, look for these things when it’s time to make upgrades or when you’re purchasing a home.
5. Energy-Star Certified Appliances
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the standards for Energy-Star certified appliances. These appliances have met the guidelines to be energy efficient and help consumers conserve energy and save on their electricity bills.
According to the EPA, Energy Star Certified refrigerators and furnaces are 15% more efficient than those that meet minimum efficiency standards. Other appliances like ovens, microwaves, washers, and dryers with an Energy Star label can also save you money.
6. Low-Flow Faucets, Toilets, and Showerheads
Your water bill will be reduced if the home you’re purchasing has low-flow faucets, toilets, and showerheads. If the home doesn’t have these, these are easy swaps you can make to increase your home’s water use efficiency.
For example, a low-flow toilet only uses about 1.6 gallons per flush compared to 7 gallons per flush of a standard toilet. Low-flow faucets and shower heads can also save you thousands of gallons of water per year.
7. Solar Panels
While solar panels have risen in popularity over the last decade, they aren’t the norm, so you may have to extend the time of your search to find a home with them.
According to the Department of Energy, installing solar panels can save you thousands of dollars per year. However, if you’re considering adding them down the line, you need to consider whether the payback period is worth it in comparison to the savings you’ll net.
8. Smart Thermostat
The capabilities of smart thermostats can help you heat and cool your home more efficiently by monitoring the outside temperature and adjusting the indoor settings to accommodate. Some also have features that will shut off the heating or cooling when no one is home and turn it back on before you arrive.
While a home with a smart thermostat won’t save you thousands on your electric or gas bills, it’s a nice feature that increases your home’s efficiency.
9. Energy Saving Light Bulbs
While it might be a minor savings, homes with incandescent light bulbs use about 75% more electricity on lighting versus those with LED or CFL bulbs. A home with energy-saving light bulbs will save somewhere around $200-$300 per year in electricity based on the number of light fixtures in the home and how often they’re turned on.
Home Features that Affect Energy Efficiency
When home shopping, it’s important that you find a home with a layout, size, and style that accommodates your needs. Just keep in mind that these factors can affect your house’s heating and cooling bills.
10. Size, Shape, Ceiling Height, and Whether the Home is Open or Closed Concept
In general, the larger a home, the more it will cost to heat and cool. But size isn’t the only factor. Your HVAC system has to work extra hard to regulate temperatures in open-concept homes. Closed concept layouts are easier to heat and cool since the walls act as a type of insulation and boundary, keeping the warm or cool air in one space.
And since heat rises, homes with high ceilings will cost significantly more to keep warm versus homes with standard-height ceilings.
11. Intentional Landscaping
Landscaping doesn’t just boost your curb appeal—it can also impact your home’s efficiency. For example, shrubs planted around a home offer a windbreak from cool air, and a well-placed tree can shield your home from the sun and solar heat gain, which can make your air conditioning system work extra hard.
Energy-efficient landscaping must be tailored to the individual home and local climate. However, according to the Department of Energy, well-placed trees can save residents a whopping 25% on energy use.
