5 Green CA Home Upgrades for 2022!
February 14, 2022
Looking ahead to the new year and thinking about home improvements you’d like to tackle? For California homeowners, there are many additional things to consider when choosing the right project for your home, as gas bans in CA and other pushes towards electrification (including heat pumps and electric cars) mean that homeowners need to think strategically about their upgrades!
Here are 5 ways that you can go green in CA with Brower Mechanical, lowering energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions in your home at the same time!
1. Insulation, Air Sealing, and Home Weatherization (But First, an Energy Audit)
One of the first recommendations we make to homeowners who want to electrify their homes or install solar panels is to first reduce their home’s energy waste and improve energy efficiency by installing proper cellulose or spray foam insulation and home air sealing. The more efficient your home performance is, the less you’ll spend on heating and air conditioning costs, and the more comfortable you’ll be indoors.
Plus, by slowing heat transfer in and out of your house, you could reduce the size of heat pump you’ll need for your home, or the number of solar panels necessary to cover your family’s electricity usage.
An energy audit is the perfect place to start—with the results of your visual clipboard audit (which is FREE!) or comprehensive home energy audit, you’ll learn more about your home’s current energy use and discover the most effective upgrades for your home.
2. Energy Efficient Window Installation
Old windows are a common source of energy waste in a home, as bad seals, faulty installation, and single pane windows all allow lots of heat to enter and escape your home.
If you’re thinking about getting new windows, Brower offers a variety of energy efficient window upgrade homes to match a number of different styles and tastes, but all of them are ENERGY STAR rated to keep your home comfortable, reduce heating and cooling bills, and avoid indoor drafts in the winter!
3. Heat Pump Water Heater Upgrades
Heat pump hot water heaters draw heat from the surrounding air to heat your water, using an average of 70% less electricity to heat the same amount of water than traditional electric water heaters. In most houses, water heating is the second largest use of energy, making this a great area to target for savings and reducing energy waste.
4. Heat Pump Mini Split Air Conditioning & Heating
Mini-split heat pump installation in your Sacramento home offers a number of benefits. Mini-splits are air conditioners and heating systems all-in-one—electric HVAC systems have both heating and cooling settings, allowing you to replace your air conditioning and heating unit at the same time. They operate much more efficiently than traditional HVAC systems (particularly when heating), whichkeeps local homeowners to within more affordable Tier 1 electricity rates.
Ductless mini-splits can also be installed without the need for ductwork, which gives you greater flexibility over where to install them. Mini-splits can be used throughout a house, or as targeted solutions to make garages, bonus rooms, and other rooms in your house more comfortable while still being energy efficient.
5. Solar Panel Installation + Solar Battery
Finally, once you’ve taken the steps to reduce energy waste and electrify appliances and systems in your home, solar panel installation can help take you to the next level. With solar panels running, your home can benefit from 100% free and clean solar power, slashing electricity bills for decades to come.
The savings increase with the addition of solar batteries, which let you store excess solar energy for use when your panels aren’t producing (like at night or on cloudy days). Solar batteries help you avoid peak energy pricing from your utility company, and can also keep the lights on during PSPSs (public safety power shutoffs). As we are likely to become more affected in California by climate change, solar batteries (or backup Generac generators) will be more valuable to homeowners in our state.
Get the Help You Need in 2022 from Sacramento’s Whole Home Experts!
Finding the right home contractor to help you electrify and upgrade your home isn’t always simple, but at Brower Mechanical, we work hard to be your go-to company for a variety of services. You can trust us to recommend the work for your home that you actually need, and we can also help you navigate the many rebates and incentives available in California in 2022 for energy efficiency home upgrades.
