Easy Home Upgrades to Improve Energy Efficiency
Lowering your home’s energy bills doesn’t have to mean a full renovation or investing thousands of dollars. In fact, some of the most effective ways to boost your home’s energy efficiency are also the easiest—and many will pay for themselves in just a few months through reduced utility costs.
Whether you’re trying to make your home more sustainable, improve comfort, or simply save money, these simple upgrades can make a big difference. From smart technology to HVAC improvements, here are five easy ways to upgrade your home and enjoy better efficiency every season.
1. Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat
Your thermostat is the brain of your HVAC system—and upgrading to a smart thermostat is one of the quickest ways to reduce energy waste. Modern models, like the Lennox iComfort® smart thermostat, offer much more than basic temperature control.
Benefits of a Smart Thermostat:
✔ Control your home’s temperature remotely from your smartphone or tablet.
✔ Automatically adjusts based on your schedule, weather patterns, or when you leave the house.
✔ Offers real-time energy usage insights to help you make smarter choices.
✔ Reduces heating and cooling costs without sacrificing comfort.
With zoning capabilities and integration with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, smart thermostats make efficiency easy and convenient.
2. Replace Old Light Bulbs
Still using incandescent or CFL bulbs around the house? Upgrading to LED lighting is a small change that delivers big savings.
Why LEDs Make Sense:
✔ Use up to 75% less energy than traditional bulbs.
✔ Last up to 25 times longer, meaning fewer replacements and less waste.
✔ Available in multiple brightness levels and color temperatures for every room.
✔ Emit less heat, which helps keep rooms cooler in the summer.
Whether you’re swapping out bulbs one room at a time or upgrading your entire home, this is one of the most cost-effective energy efficiency improvements you can make.
3. Seal and Insulate Ductwork
Many homeowners don’t realize that leaky ductwork is one of the biggest sources of energy waste. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that up to 30% of heated or cooled air is lost through holes, gaps, or poorly connected ducts.
Fixing Ductwork Can:
✔ Improve airflow throughout your home.
✔ Reduce the strain on your HVAC system.
✔ Help maintain consistent temperatures from room to room.
✔ Lower your monthly energy bills.
Professional duct sealing from a trusted provider like Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning ensures your HVAC system delivers air where it’s needed—without energy waste.
4. Install a Whole-Home Dehumidifier or Humidifier
Indoor humidity plays a major role in your comfort—and in your HVAC system’s performance. When humidity is too high or too low, your furnace or air conditioner has to work harder to compensate.
Benefits of Humidity Control:
✔ Dehumidifiers reduce sticky air and prevent mold growth in the summer.
✔ Humidifiers add moisture to dry winter air, reducing respiratory discomfort and protecting wood floors and furniture.
✔ Balanced humidity means you can run your system less often while staying comfortable.
✔ Helps protect your indoor air quality by reducing allergens and airborne irritants.
At Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer whole-home humidity solutions that integrate with your existing HVAC system for precise, energy-saving results.
5. Schedule a Home Energy Audit
Sometimes, the best upgrade you can make is knowledge. A home energy audit evaluates how your home uses energy and pinpoints areas of loss or inefficiency.
A Professional Audit Can Reveal:
✔ Areas with poor insulation or drafts
✔ HVAC performance issues or inefficiencies
✔ Opportunities to upgrade appliances or systems
✔ Tips to improve air quality and comfort
Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning can conduct a thorough HVAC inspection as part of your energy audit, identifying inefficiencies like dirty coils, leaky ducts, or aging components that affect both performance and costs.
Take the Next Step Toward a More Efficient Home
At Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning, we believe energy efficiency should be accessible and affordable. Whether you’re ready to install a smart thermostat, upgrade your air quality systems, or simply want to explore your home’s current performance, our team is here to help.
With over 50 years of experience serving homeowners in the Twin Cities, we provide:
Smart home system installations
Energy-efficient Lennox heating and cooling systems
Duct sealing and indoor air quality solutions
Honest recommendations tailored to your home and budget
📞 Call Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning today at 763.536.0667 or visit MarshHeating.com to schedule a consultation and start saving energy—one simple upgrade at a time.