There’s a decent chance you’ve thought about wanting to make your home more energy efficient at some point or another. More than a few people could’ve mentioned you should do it. With the benefits it offers, it’s easy to see why.

By putting the effort in, you should:

• Save money on your energy bills
• Increase the value of the home
• Make your house something to be proud of
• Improve the functionality of your home

Despite that, making your home more energy efficient can often seem complicated. It’s not something you can do overnight, especially when you want to have a large impact. Thankfully, there are more than a few ways to make it easier.

It’s just a matter of focusing on the right areas, with seven strategies being easier and more practical than you’d think.

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient: 7 Practical, Easy Ways

1. Install Some Fans

Most people use air conditioners to cool down their home, but these use up quite a bit of electricity. They’re not exactly energy efficient, either. If you really want to make your home more energy efficient, then it’s worth getting some fans. Ceiling fans use up a fraction of the electricity an air conditioner does.

They’re much more energy efficient, so they even cost a lot more to run. Even something as simple as getting an electric fan could be more than enough to help with this. You only need to get two or three of them for your whole house.

2. Insulate Properly

Insulation is one of the more notable ways to have an energy efficient home, and it’s always worth mentioning. While you could already have some insulation in your house, it doesn’t mean there’s enough of it. Many homeowners are surprised by just how minimal their home insulation is.

You’ll need to check this to make sure your house is insulated enough. If it isn’t, then it’s worth investing in it. You’ll notice an immediate difference in how warm your house is, helping to avoid the need for heaters. It shouldn’t even cost too much to have installed or replaced.

3. Plant Some Trees

You mightn’t think that planting trees could help you make your home energy efficient, but they can help more than you’d think. During the summer months, that’s especially true. They add more shade to your property, which can help keep your home cooler during the warmer months. You’ll feel it more than you’d think.

You don’t need to worry in the winter, either. The colder weather means the leaves will fall off, and more sun can get to your home, helping to keep it warm. You’ll end up noticing the difference a lot more than you’d think. Add in the visual appeal, and you’ve no reason not to do it.

4. Upgrade Your Electricals

Your electricals make a significant impact on how energy efficient your home is. Older electricals can use up more energy than more modern options. This also applies to your appliances and other electronics. You could need to update them - or even replace them - if you want to improve them.

From your fridge to the air source heat pump, to even your electrical sockets, take a look at what can be improved. While this can be an expensive process, it’ll be more than worth it. You’ll save more on your utility bills in time, so you’ve no reason not to.

5. Get Some Awnings

Like trees, awnings can be a great way of keeping your home cool during the summer. They block out the sun, making sure it doesn’t get uncomfortably hot. Even small ones over your windows can help a lot more than you would’ve thought.

Most of these options are retractable, so you can let the sun in during the winter months. While you’ll need to get them for each of your windows, it can still be worth the cost. You’ll even add some extra curb appeal to your home with them.

6. Weather Strip Doors & Windows

One of the main reasons your home could start feeling cold is because of a breeze getting into it. That’s why you’ll close your doors and windows, but it can still be a problem. You might need to weather strip your doors and windows to actually prevent it. Cold air could be getting in from around them.

Then there’s the fact there could be holes and cracks around them, too. These might need to be caulked to be made airtight again. Thankfully, this doesn’t take a lot of time or effort, and you can even do it yourself. It’ll only take a few minutes for each door and window you have.

7. Get A Smart Thermostat

You’ll naturally want to keep your home warm and comfortable during the winter months. Naturally, that takes up quite a bit of energy usage, and it mightn’t always be the most energy efficient way to go about it. You don’t need to settle for having the heating off on low, however.

Instead, it’s just a matter of installing a smart thermostat, and everything gets much easier. You can control it from your smartphone, and you can even automate the process for you. It’ll be much more energy efficient than needing to do everything manually, so you’ve no reason not to try it.

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient: Wrapping Up

If you want to make your home more energy efficient, you’ll have to put some time and effort into it. That doesn’t have to mean it’ll be complicated and overwhelming. Instead, there are more than a few ways you can make it relatively easy for yourself.

Focus on the practicalities, and you shouldn’t have a problem getting it done. While there’ll still be some work involved, it’ll be much more manageable. Once you put the effort in, you shouldn’t have a problem seeing all of the benefits making your home more energy efficient offers.

It’ll be well worth all of the effort you put into it.