The coastal regions of California are considered as the ideal place for homeowners for its mild temperature and Mediterranean climate. However, due to climate change the state is witnessing soaring temperatures across all the regions. Moreover, places away from the coastal regions like Death Valley often witness temperatures as high as 130 degree F. On the other hand, the dry weather condition leads to increased incidences of wildfires across the state.
This soaring temperature and climate-induced natural calamities is the reason for high energy bills in the state. Moreover, California’s average electricity bill is amongst the highest in the United States. According to 2024 data, average electricity bills are 29% higher than the average U.S. residential bills.
So, switching over to an energy-efficient lifestyle with smart home technologies is the call of the hour. The following section of the blog will discuss some of the smart-technologies that will economize your energy consumption.
Energy-Efficient Home Features
Adopting energy-efficient home technologies would substantially reduce your energy-bills. While upgrading your home you must consider the following components that would check your energy usage rate.
1. Install Solar Panels
Installing solar panels on your roof top is one of the most cost-effective and eco-friendly energy solutions. It also requires minimal maintenance. The installed solar panels harness the solar power and convert it to electricity. Moreover, it can also store excess energy to provide electricity in the absence of sunlight. Furthermore, nowadays all the electronic gadgets are solar-power compatible. So, shifting to solar-powered electricity is the best energy-saving alternative for Californians.
2. Energy-Saving Lighting
Energy-efficient lighting is the most low cost shift towards reducing energy cost. LED or CFL lights are the two common choices for energy-efficient lighting. These lighting are 80-90% more energy efficient than the traditional lighting options.
They have dimmable capacity and function in low voltage using less electrical energy. Moreover, these bulbs come with occupancy sensors. As a result, the bulb automatically turns off once you leave a room. Furthermore, they generate much less heat than traditional bulbs keeping your home cool reducing air conditioning bills.
3. Opt for Energy-Efficient Roofing
Choosing energy-efficient residential roofing is another effective way to reduce energy-bills. Roofing materials and installation techniques regulate your home’s insulation and ventilation. You must select roofing materials that have high thermal resistance power, emissivity and reflectivity. Metal roofing has excellent thermal resistant power. By reflecting sunlight it keeps your home cool during summer. It also has high emissivity and reflectivity as it releases trapped heat back into the air.
On the other hand, asphalt shingles roofs have high heat retaining capacity keeping your home warm during winter. Thus, roofing with these properties can considerably reduce your energy cost required for artificial air cooling or heating appliances.
4. Enhance Home Insulation
Enhancing home insulation capacities can substantially reduce your energy-bills. Proper insulation keeps your home cool during summer and warm during freezing weather. There are many forms of insulation with multiple applications. One instance would be constructing walls, ceiling and floors with foam board. This type of construction provides robust insulation helping you to reduce hefty electricity bills. You can also install thermal mass in the building’s exterior to keep your home insulated for a long time.
5. Install Smart Meter
A smart meter can significantly reduce your energy bills by keeping you updated on your daily power consumption rate. You can easily monitor how much power you are using daily and enhance power using efficiency.
Conclusion
The average electricity bills are much higher in California than that of the rest of the USA. Installing energy-efficient home systems is the most effective way to reduce energy consumption and cost in California. There are multiple energy-efficient advanced systems like solar power electricity, efficient roofing systems and efficient insulation mechanisms. You must make sure you hire professional installers to ensure best results and durability.
