Home not cooling down? These energy efficiency fixes could save you hundreds

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After a long day out in the summer sun, you finally get home and put your air conditioner on at full blast. But after hours have gone by, you realize that your home doesn't feel any different from when you first arrived. And the culprit? A lack of energy efficiency.

This is just one example of how homeowners can get caught with high energy usage, and therefore high electricity costs, all while struggling to maintain a comfortable home during the summer months. With utility costs already soaring, getting the best bang for your buck is more important than ever — and improving your home's energy efficiency could help.

"From a homeowner standpoint, energy efficiency saves you money and increases the comfort level of your home, depending on the steps that you're taking. So you can be more comfortable for less spending. And from an efficiency standpoint, you're using less energy, which I think is something that everybody is more conscious of," said Bill Taylor, HVAC contractor manager for South Jersey Gas in New Jersey. "And now, probably more than any time, there are more and stronger incentives around energy efficiency than I've ever seen. So if there's a time to do it, now is the time."

There are small and big changes you can make to your home to improve its overall energy efficiency, depending on your circumstances. But it is recommended that you start by getting a home energy assessment, in which a professional can evaluate what your needs may be.

"The nice thing about these home energy assessments is that there's a qualified contractor that will be able to come up with a customized plan," said Lauren Thomas, vice president of Clean Energy Solutions-Customer Solutions at PSE&G. "They can lay out the timing of it and tell you more about the programs available, on-bill repayment options and incentives that are available so you can plan out the best course of action."

The small changes

If you don't have the means to make any significant improvements to your home ahead of the summer season, there are still several smaller changes you can make that will have a big impact on your home's energy efficiency.

Both Taylor and Thomas recommend minimizing the use of air conditioning when no one is home, or closing doors to rooms that are not being used when you are home, to reduce the amount of electricity consumed throughout the day.

With this, Taylor suggests upgrading your standard thermostat to a programmable thermostat so you can pre-set temperature schedules for your home, or to a smart thermostat so you can control your home's heating and cooling systems remotely.

Other steps include closing your shades during peak midday temperatures, keeping all of your doors and windows closed, checking for and addressing any air leaks, and making sure your ceiling fans are turning counterclockwise during the summer.

Thomas also suggests washing your clothes in cold water so you're not using electricity to run your water heater as often, as well as replacing your air conditioner filters and cleaning the new ones monthly to help your system run more efficiently.

The big changes

As for larger projects, Taylor said he believes the most important step you can take to improve your home's energy efficiency is to better insulate and air-seal your home.

"Insulation and air sealing, to me, are probably the two biggest things that people don't do that can save, depending on the age of the house and current insulation values, up to 20% or 30% on energy costs throughout the year," he said.

He also recommends upgrading any older equipment in your home, such as air conditioning units, water heaters and appliances, with modern and higher-efficiency systems.

"If you did things like insulation, air sealing and replacing equipment — we call that Whole Home Energy Solutions — that program probably is a two- to three-day process to get it done," he said. "So it's not like it takes weeks to get it done, and you'll be able to have the advantage of energy savings and comfort all through the summer."

Rebates, incentives, other resources

Many utility companies, as well as the state, offer rebates and incentives for those looking to make their homes more energy-efficient, Taylor said, as a way to encourage homeowners to make these changes.

PSE&G customers, Thomas said, can receive rebates on any purchases of eligible Energy Star-certified appliances or when they work with a participating contractor to install an energy-efficient HVAC system.

PSE&G also has its own online marketplace where customers can buy a number of energy-efficient products with rebates that are automatically applied, she said, as well as the Demand Response Program, in which customers with smart thermostats can earn rewards for reducing their energy usage during peak periods.

"The point of energy efficiency is really to make those longer-term, meaningful, sustainable changes in your home to decrease energy usage," Thomas said. "A lot of our customers are looking for ways to stay cool while saving energy and costs on their utility bills. And there are a number of changes you can make."

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.