People love the concept of an energy efficient home, but maintaining one is a challenge depending on where you’re located. And it’s not just regions with cloudy skies where solar panels aren’t practical; even your house itself may be a crucial factor.

While many newer homes are built with energy efficiency in mind, the same can’t be said for older homes; especially those constructed more than a few decades ago. Older homes come with a variety of conditions that make them less energy efficient. These can range from the building materials, to the way the windows were installed.

Fortunately, it’s entirely possible to make your older home more energy efficient. In fact, it’s not even that complicated. With a few simple steps and a couple of handy gadgets, it will surprise you how much energy efficiency you can add to your home.

Smart Thermostats

One of the easiest ways to improve your older home’s energy efficiency is by purchasing a smart thermostat. These thermostats are programmable to regulate the temperature in your home for maximum efficiency; providing comfort when you’re present and savings when you aren’t.

Just how much savings can smart thermostats bring? It does depend on what kind of smart thermostat you use, but U.S. Ecobee customers could see average savings up to 23 percent each year.

Energy Saving Apps

Sometimes the best tool to save energy is simple information. In this day and age, this information is very accessible through technology.

That’s the philosophy behind apps like Benefyd, where users answer a couple questions about their environment and usage habits in order to formulate renewable energy efficiency strategies. Benefyd is committed to helping owners save as much as 30 percent a month on their energy bills.

Efficient Hot Water Heaters

Gutting your entire plumbing system in an older home isn’t feasible, but you can certainly replace your ancient hot water heater with something energy efficient. Water heating can generate as much as 20 percent of your home’s energy costs, making older water heaters a real money pit.

Instead of a traditional storage tank water heater, install an on-demand unit or one with a heat pump. On-demand units heat water only when it’s needed by using heating coils, instead of constantly keeping a large volume of water hot. Thus, on-demand models use far less energy than their predecessors.

Heat pump water heaters move heat from the surrounding air into their water supply, saving significant energy when compared to older units. They’re more expensive up front, but are easy to install and offset their costs within a few short years.

Making your older home energy efficient doesn’t always require major overhauls. By making a few simple changes, it’s easy to see your renewable energy efficiency increase while keeping your costs down.

Follow the suggestions above and enjoy watching your energy savings and green footprint skyrocket! After all, saving the planet is a team effort.