As a homeowner, it’s important for you to do your best to make sure that your home is in a good state at all times. This may call for a remodel to be done every now and then, so it’s a good idea for you to know when to do one and the best way to do it. The following are some of the remodels that you could do to make your home more sustainable and energy-friendly.

Take Care of Standby Power

Standby power, also called vampire power, is that which is used by appliances that have been turned off but are on standby mode. This can lead to a high amount of power consumption in the home and leave you paying exaggerated energy bills. Avoid this eventuality by turning off any appliance that’s not currently in use. To make it easier to do this, you could consider buying a power strip that will make it easier for you to turn off multiple unused devices at once and cut off their power supply. They are generally affordable to buy, and even more so when you consider the amount of savings that they can help you make.

Use Your Appliances Smartly

If you have multiple big appliances and changing them is not an option, then you should start to use them more smartly. This is true for both homeowners and renters. It’s out of the question to change appliances that you found in the house when you moved in and that you will leave when you move out if you’re renting. There were over 111 million renters in 2017 who called apartments home in the United States. If you are among this number, you should look into more efficient ways to use your dishwasher, washer, and dryer. Some tips will call for actually skipping the washer and air drying your clothes if that’s an option for you.

Upgrade the Insulation

Insulation helps keep the home weather-proofed to some extent, so if there are any issues with your home’s insulation, have it checked out. You will find that you can keep your home in a comfortable temperature range a lot easier when you do this. With energy use doubling every 20 years in the United States, this is something that you should seriously think about if you want to keep your home comfortable in an affordable way.

Remodel the Right Spaces

With a remodeling project, it’s not news that not all projects will provide additional value. Some can help you save more than others, and it is these ones that you should prioritize. Take time to research the biggest energy consumers in your home, performing an energy audit if possible. This will make it possible for you to find out exactly where you stand to make bigger savings by improving. A minor kitchen remodel, for instance, which has a median cost of $5,000, could help you get a more functional and efficient kitchen.

Conserve Water

No one needs to be reminded about the state of the environment or told that conserving water can have a positive impact. That said, it’s a good idea to find ways in which to conserve water in and around your home. This includes fixing any leaks that you find and changing your home’s appliances to those that will be more water-efficient to use. Considering the cost that you stand to save, these upgrades are worth your while. Remember to conserve water and only use sprinklers when needed as well, so that you can save the most on water.

While it’s a good idea to remodel your home to deal with increasing energy costs, it’s not always necessary to do so. There are some smaller measures that you can take when remodeling is not an option that will help you save energy over the long term.