Outdoor Projects That Save Energy

Tackle outdoor upgrades that boost efficiency—plant shade trees to cool your home naturally, install solar lights, seal gaps around doors and windows, and use a programmable sprinkler system.

These small projects can lower energy use and enhance your home's comfort year-round.

Do you like to spend a lot of time in the great outdoors? If so, a great way to spend some of that time is making your home more energy efficient. With these simple, low-cost outdoor projects, you can lower your monthly energy bills and make your home more comfortable. Now, that's outdoor time well spent.

Switch to LED outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting is important for safety and security, but also for illuminating your outdoor space for evening fun with friends and family. Why not upgrade your outdoor lights to high-efficiency LEDs? They use about 75% less energy than conventional incandescent bulbs, and they last a lot longer. For security lights, add motion sensors to save even more energy and stay safe.

Outdoor solar lights can help highlight your landscaping. They're easy to install, virtually maintenance-free and they won't increase your energy bills. The lights convert sunlight into energy, store it in a battery and then use it at night.

Caulk windows

Cracked or peeling caulking around windows can create gaps that let conditioned air escape. You can fix the problem yourself following these simple steps:

Find exterior caulk at your local home improvement retailer.
Scrape away the existing caulk and make sure the area is clean and dry.
Spread the caulk evenly along the crack between the window and the frame.
Smooth the caulk out with a damp finger.

Seal gaps around doors

Gaps around exterior doors waste energy, adding an unwelcome addition to your monthly bills. Adding weatherstripping to fill those gaps is easy to do. There are a number of products you can use, such as foam and rubber adhesives. Just cut them to length and attach them.

Door sweeps can fill gaps underneath. There are many different kinds of sweeps. Some will require fasteners, some will slide onto the door, and others use adhesives.

Landscaping for energy savings

If you have a green thumb and a little more ambition, planting trees around your yard can help you save energy and stay more comfortable inside. Leafy trees on the south and west side of your home provide cooling summer shade. The leaves fall off in autumn to let warming sunshine through on cold winter afternoons. Evergreen trees on the north and northwest sides of your home provide year-round windbreaks. Remember to call 811 before beginning any digging project to have underground utility lines marked.

Now you can rest easy knowing that all your hard outdoor work will help make your home and property more energy efficient.