More people are looking for ways to manage rising costs and if you own a holiday beach house you may be wondering whether to sell it or not. The cost of running a second property can be immense but reducing energy bills is one way of being able to keep your beach house and making the budget work.
From installing skylights Sydney homeowners use to reduce artificial lighting costs to switching off unused devices when not in use, they’re all are cost-saving, energy efficient ideas every beach house owner should consider.
We discuss this topic in detail.
5 Tips for Creating an Energy-Efficient Holiday Beach House
Tip 1: Skylights Installation
Using natural lighting is one of the best ways to reduce energy consumption and brighten up rooms so they’re more inviting. Areas such as bathrooms, hallways, back rooms, kitchens and lofts often need artificial lighting even during the day. Installing skylights in these spaces will help capture enough daylight so you don’t need to rely on electrical light fixtures.
But, there’s more to your benefit than just becoming energy efficient!
Natural lighting in your beach house promotes better sleep and leads to Vitamin D production, even if you spend time indoors on colder winter days.
With skylight installation beach house owners have multiple benefits throughout the year!
Tip 2: Unplug Unused Appliances or Devices
Unplugging unused appliances or devices during the off-season can reduce your home’s energy bills significantly. It’s an energy-efficient practice you can implement while holidaying at your beach house as well. So, get into the habit of unplugging devices such as laptops, cellphone chargers, the TV and sound system when you’re not using them. All of these items draw electricity even when not in use so make sure everyone unplugs when not using electrical devices.
Switching off your water heater during the day and when you’re not staying at the beach house is another way of reducing energy costs. Wrapping the water heater in an insulation blanket also saves energy when heating it.
Tip 3. Use Energy-Efficient Ventilation Systems
Keeping your beach house cool during the hot summer months is challenging and while an air conditioning unit may do the job, it’s going to cost you, financially and environmentally. Installing energy-efficient ventilation systems such as whole house fans can help you reduce your costs while keeping your beach house occupants cool.
Solar roof ventilation systems are another way of cooling your home while preventing moisture buildup without it costing you an arm and a leg. Opening all the windows and doors allows for natural airflow through your holiday home and is one of the most cost-effective ways for cooling your house.
Tip 4. Switch Over to Solar Power
Solar power is a renewable energy source that can power your whole beach house and result in substantial savings. It’s a popular, energy-efficient way of running your beach house’s appliances, devices, lighting and other electrical equipment.
Beach houses often get ample sunlight, making solar panel installation a viable option for these holiday homes. Furthermore, as more homeowners opt for renewable energy to power their properties, solar photovoltaics and batteries for homes in Australia are coming down in price.
Installing solar panels allows you the opportunity to go off-grid and while initial installation is expensive, you’ll see the payback benefits within three to five years.
Tip 5. Identify Energy Wasters
Air gaps in walls, ceilings, windows and doors are huge energy wasters when you’re trying to keep your home cool or warm with an AC. Take a walk around your beach house and identify energy wasters so you can seal them and have maximum insulation. Use airtight locks to keep windows well-sealed and repair holes in doors or ceiling boards to prevent air leakage.
Here are some other expert tips:
- Setting your water heater at a high temperature is another energy waster as is boiling a full kettle for one cup of tea or coffee!
- Showering instead of bathing uses less hot water.
- Incandescent light bulbs are other energy wasters that ramp up your bill faster than you realise. If you haven’t done so by now, it’s really time to switch over to LED lighting!
Final Thoughts
Managing two properties is becoming more expensive as daily living costs continue to rise. Holiday homeowners have to think twice about keeping their beach houses if they want to protect their financial savings. However, there are ways of reducing costs and one of them is to become energy efficient. Implementing these savvy energy saving tips in your holiday property will reduce your costs more than you think.
Energy-efficient practices allow you to lower your monthly bills and limit your ecological footprint, something every property owner should be thinking about anyway.
It’s easy to forget about implementing energy-savings at your beach house, since you’re going there to take a break from life and its worries. But if it means reducing financial pressure, isn’t there enough reason to make it your number one priority?
