As the weather begins to change, it is the perfect time to think about making energy-efficient upgrades to your garage that will help lower your energy bill when the cold weather arrives. Consider the following tips when planning your energy-efficient garage upgrades.
Insulate and Seal Your Garage
One of the easiest ways to improve the energy efficiency of your garage is to add insulation. Most garages share walls with other rooms in your home, so failing to insulate your garage can cause cool air to seep through the walls and circulate back into your home This makes it harder to control the temperature within your home. When you insulate your garage, make sure to include the walls, roof, the garage door, and even outlets and light switches. From there, the next thing to do is seal air leaks by putting caulk or weatherstripping along all the doors and windows in your garage. This will provide extra protection against the elements and help to regulate the temperature in your home. Insulating and sealing your garage will help keep heating costs down during the cooler months. Sun Devil Garage Door can insulate your garage door, today!
Unplug Power Tools
A large majority of homeowners use their garages for more than simply storing their vehicles. Garages can double up as handyman workstations or even home offices. If your garage is multi-functioning, you might have tools or other electronics plugged in at all times. Leaving tools or office computers continually connected can result in wasted energy when these appliances are in standby mode. Unplugging these items after using them can help keep your energy costs down, potentially saving you up to $200 per year.
Upgrade the Lighting in your Garage
Replacing regular, incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs (light-emitting diode) is another great way to save on your energy bill. LED lights require less energy to run and last five times longer than regular light bulbs. To further save, consider investing in occupancy light sensors.These sensors conveniently turn lights on when someone enters the room, and help to save energy by turning the lights off when no one is occupying the room.
Upgrade Spare Appliances
If you have a spare refrigerator or freezer in your garage, consider replacing it with a more energy efficient model. According to Energystar.gov, upgrading your appliance can save you up to $100-$200 a year. Alternatively, if the spare appliance is not being used, you may want to unplug it or get rid of it all together.
These few changes to your garage can help you save money all year round. For more garage-improvement tips visit our blog by clicking here.
