Energy efficiency in a home is crucial, especially as power prices rise and the need to conserve for the good of the planet really starts to hit home for people. When you have a custom home built, you can have several features added to make the home as energy efficient as possible. The build of the home alone is already an improvement on older construction because new homes that are built to current codes are approximately 17% more energy efficient than older ones, according to Visually. Although, additional features can let you make the custom home even more efficient. Let’s take a look at a few of these features.
Passive Solar Design
Passive solar design has nothing to do with solar panels and instead is a suite of options that make it easier to cool and heat the home without actually turning on your air conditioner or heater. Passive solar doesn’t eliminate the need for those appliances, but you may find you won’t have to turn them on as much. Things like using dual-pane windows and awnings over windows and doors can help keep the temperature inside the home much more stable and comfortable.
Proper Caulking and Weatherstripping
Tiny gaps in weatherstripping and caulking around windows allow more air to flow in and out of the home than normal. These cause drafts and make your air conditioning and heating work harder to keep the home’s internal temperature steady. By ensuring the builders caulk around windows and leave no gap, and ensuring the weatherstripping around all doors, including the garage, is adequate, you’ll reduce those drafts. Don’t forget about the electrical outlets. Outlet boxes in the wall often aren’t that solid and allow a lot of drafts through, so it’s important to keep linings sealed tight as well.
LEDs and Energy-Efficient Appliances
If the builder will go so far as to install light bulbs and appliances for you, make sure all the bulbs are LEDs and the appliances are all Energy Star efficient. Appliances as a whole are getting much better in terms of efficiency, but homes are using more of them, which means the total amount of energy they use can creep up steadily if you’re not careful.
Those are just a few features your custom home can have to increase its energy efficiency. When you meet with one of our builders, you can discuss the whole range of options. Get in touch with us today to start planning your energy-efficient custom home.
