The last few decades have seen energy costs rise everywhere in the world, with energy efficiency eventually becoming a cause of concern. With rising energy costs, more Sydney and Blacktown home owners are trying to find ways to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

It is always possible to lower your utility bills, but you do have to make certain changes to your home to make it happen. Here are several home improvement ideas for better energy efficiency.

1. Plug door and window leaks

The efficiency of your heating and cooling system is reduced when leaks in your home allow cold air to slip into your house in winter and cooled air to escape during the summer. These leaks can often be found around your doors and windows, although it’s not uncommon for homes to have leaks in the basement or the attic. When you find such leaks, seal them immediately to lower your utility bills at the end of the month.

2. Seal leaky ducts

Gaps, cracks, and poor connections in ducts reduce the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent. That is why you need to go hunting for these leaks and seal them with duct sealant as soon as you can. Not only will you be boosting your home’s energy efficiency, but you will also get better air quality as sealing ducts prevent filthy air from other parts of your house blown into your living spaces.

3. Replace your inefficient and old heating and cooling system

There is always the possibility that your current heating and cooling system itself is the culprit for your rising energy bills. It could be that it is no longer working as efficiently as it did before. If you think that your existing system is already outdated, have a more energy-efficient system installed in its place so you can lower your utility bills. Your local Blacktown electrician can help assess this.

4. Install a water heater geared for energy efficiency

A water heater may account for as much as 25 percent of your annual energy usage. This is the reason why it pays to have high-efficiency water heaters installed at home. These days, a tankless water heater is deemed more efficient, as it heats the water only when needed, and does not incur standby losses the way traditional water heaters with storage tanks do.

5. Install more energy-efficient light bulbs

If you still have incandescent bulbs in your home, you would do well to replace them with CFL ones. Aside from the fact that they can last six times longer than incandescent bulbs, CFL bulbs also use approximately 70 percent less energy. It would even be greater if you use LED bulbs, which last 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, and are 80 percent more energy-efficient.

6. Insulate your home

Approximately half of the heat that you put into your home is wasted through walls, the ceiling and underfloors. Reduce that heat loss significantly by properly installing good quality installation in the above-mentioned areas. Aside from better energy efficiency, your home will also be warmer, more comfortable, and greener if you insulate your home.

7. Consider solar panels

Few things make a home as energy efficient as solar panels can. For an average Australian household, a solar panel system could help you save about 25-40 per cent of your power cost.

While it is true that solar panels can be an expensive outlay, just think of the energy savings that you will be able to get in the long term.