There’s no set criteria for the perfect home. After all, everyone has their own needs and preferences that a house has to fulfill. However, there are always going to be certain things that all homes will need to have. No matter what, the majority of house hunters want somewhere structurally sound, clean and well laid out. But there is one thing that more and more people have begun to decide is an essential feature that their home needs: it needs to be energy efficient. After all, not only does an energy efficient house help to protect the environment but it can also make a big difference in saving you money. It’s a key feature on a lot of people’s lists, but many of them don’t know how to go about making the place that they live in more energy efficient. Fortunately, doing so isn’t really that difficult or complicated. In fact, you can do it just by following a few, simple steps.

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Insulate your attic

If your attic isn’t properly insulated, then there’s a pretty good chance that, each winter, you end up throwing huge amounts of money away by pumping heat into the house that just escapes straight through the top. A poorly insulated attic means that can end up wasting more energy than you’d ever imagine simply trying to keep your home warm. The same goes for your walls. The last thing that you want is to try and heat your home, only to have it escape through the walls. If that happens, not only are you going to be chilly, but your wallet’s going to feel it as well.

Solar panels

This might not be the cheapest way to make your home more energy efficient, but boy is it one of the most effective! Home solar panels can help you save enormous amounts of money on your energy bills by allowing you to generate your own heat and power. No only that but sometimes they can even help you qualify for tax incentives. This means that, even though they come with a pretty big price tag, they will usually have paid for themselves within a year or two. And don’t worry if you’re living somewhere with less than perfect weather, most solar panels work just fine, even when it’s cloudy and miserable outside.

Watch your consumptions

The simplest method of making your home more energy efficient is also the least glamorous. That’s because it’s simply a matter of watching how much energy you’re consuming. Think about investing in an energy monitor so that you can see just how much energy you waste on a daily basis. Then try to adjust the way that you’re living. Turn off the lights whenever you’re not in a room, try to cut back on the long, hot showers, and when the weather turns cold, why not put on a couple of layers before you go sticking on the heat for the entire house.