You may have picked out your startup business idea and be well on your way to turning a profit while working from home. There are a few things, however, that you can do to help increase your profit margin. Being a home-based business, you already have minimal overheads compared to a conventional brick and mortar establishment. What if you could drive those costs down even further? Below are a few simple ideas that can save you money by making your home more energy efficient.

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Water Usage

This may not be the first thing you think of when making your home more energy efficient, but that is why it should be the first thing on your list. Granted, most of your water usage will not be directly related to your business costs, but that doesn’t mean you should dismiss it. There are simple and cheap ways that you can reduce the amount of water you use, like eco shower heads and tap fittings. You can also look at companies like flowmeters.com to help keep track of how much water you are using during the day. You may be surprised at the volume of water that pumps through your plumbing each day. Having a figure you can keep an eye on can help you to remain mindful of your usage.

Insulation and Heating

This may not be as big of an issue if you live in a warmer climate, but making sure that your home is properly insulated will save you hundreds off your heating bill per year. Install good quality double or triple glazed windows. Ensuring that your roof and floor are properly insulated from the elements means that your heat stays inside. Speaking of heating, make sure that your heating system is energy efficient. You may have an older property fitted with ancient storage heaters, which can use more energy than modern gas central heating to keep your property warm. Have your boiler serviced as well; you don’t want a faulty heating system to cost you money and put your health at risk.

Renewable Energy

There may be some restrictions to this depending on where you live, but installing solar panels or a small wind turbine can make a massive difference to your electricity bill. These are especially useful if you live somewhere sunny and can make the most of that. Installing renewable power can be quite pricey, but it will be well worth the cost. Over time, your bill will get cheaper due to you being able to sustain yourself longer with your own, free energy.

There are many other ways you can make your home more energy efficient – some small and some big. These three main ways should give you the most impact in a short period of time, allowing less money to be spent on bills and more on growing your business.