There are many different home owners around the United States. Some live in small houses. Some live in big houses. Some live in houses that are just right for their situation. Yes, the homes (and their owners) all appear different, but there’s one thing these homeowners have in common. They all take pride in their homes. Needless to say, homeowners are proud. They enjoy showing their home to family and friends. They enjoy keeping their home in acceptable (and beyond acceptable) condition. They do everything for their home, including cleaning, maintenance, and renovating or changing the appearance of rooms. Home is where the heart is, after all. However, there’s one type of home that’s becoming increasingly popular. This home is an energy efficient home. Yes, energy efficient! Did I catch your interest, yet? Well, if you’re interested in an energy efficient home, here are some things you need to know.
What Is An Energy Efficient Home?
Let’s begin with the basics. What exactly is an energy efficient home? To begin, an energy efficient home does many things. First, it saves you money by reducing energy use. It provides you with a higher level of comfort than traditional homes. Your guests will be happy as well! An energy efficient home also fights against green house gases and global warming. So, you’re essentially helping the planet when you build a energy efficient home for yourself and any family members you may have.
It’s true that when building your own energy efficient home, you’ll have many decisions to make. However, there are a few things energy efficient homes all have in common. Your energy efficient home, like many will have a tightly sealed thermal envelope, controlled ventilation, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, and energy-efficient doors, windows, appliances, and home electronics. Your home will consist of these elements, because of the goal of an energy efficient home. The goal is to adhere to net zero energy use while also creating a comfortable environment inside your home. When yore finished you’ll have a high performance home!
The Parts Of An Energy Efficient Home
Many individuals think, or assume that building an energy efficient home is challenging. However, you’ll be surprised to know that recent technological advancements, building materials, and construction techniques make building this home less challenging than in years prior. So, what makes up an energy efficient home? What should your home look like?
Positioning: The positioning of your home is key when building your energy efficient home. The living areas, as well as the rooms you spend most (or all) of your time in, should be north-facing to catch sun and light during the longest part of each day. Any bedrooms should be positioned on the southern side so they are cooler and more agreeable/pleasant to sleep in at night.
Living Areas: Living areas should be more enclosed to keep heating and cooling costs down.
Insulation: Insulation is another key element to an energy efficient home. Many individuals with energy efficient home, utilize icf concrete, icf blocks, and various icf products when it comes to insulation. In fact, ICF has been used in types of construction, such as global, for over 60 years!
Icf is an abbreviation for insulating concrete form or insulated concrete form. This system of formwork is used to insulate permanent interior and exterior substrate for walls, floors, and roofs. Many individuals refer to Nexcem ICF when searching for products to build their energy efficient home.
Insulation can help your home maintain a quieter, more comfortable home 365 days of the year. It is important to note that curtains or blinds with pelmets can improve the insulation of your windows.
Lighting: Lighting is another component to energy efficient homes. Although natural light offers the cheapest solution for energy efficient homes (that is why positioning of your home is so imperative), if you want lights, fluorescent lights are great. They will save you money, they save energy, and they last longer than traditional lights. Another option is LED lights. These lights save as much energy as fluorescent lights, and they last up to three times as longer than fluorescent!