Father’s Day is a time to show your caring, loving dad how much he means to you. Nothing says “I love you” like helping dad live a healthier lifestyle that also saves valuable energy. It’s the type of practical efficiency that every father can appreciate.
If your dad is the type that told you a million times to turn the light out and stop wasting energy we’ve got six great gift ideas that can make your dad’s home more energy efficient this Father’s Day.
Best Energy Efficient Gift for Dads With Busy Schedules: A Smarter Thermostat
If your dad is the busy type that’s always on the go and has a chaotic schedule the best energy-saving improvement could be a smart thermostat. Unlike a traditional programmable thermostat, a smart thermostat can program itself based on your behaviors and movement around the house.
This is perfect for dads that are all over the place and aren’t sure what they’re schedule is going to be like from week-to-week.
Best Energy Efficient Gift for Empty Nest Dads: Weatherize His Home
A dad who’s little ones have flown the nest has more time, but there’s less help around the house for home maintenance. Do your dad a favor and weatherize his house for the summer so he’s less likely to swelter.
If you’ve already handled the basics like putting weather stripping around the doors and caulking around windows here are some advanced weatherization techniques you can try on Father’s Day:
Insulate the outlets with foam backing and caulking around the plates.
Fill in any gaps and patch all holes in the garage where conditioned air can leak in.
Replace the HVAC air filter.
Add insulation in the attic.
You can go the extra mile and pay to have an AC technician come out to do an HVAC tune-up so there are no breakdowns in the heat of summer. During the tuneup, the technician should look to see if there are leaks in the ductwork that need to be sealed.
Best Energy Efficient Gift for Dads with Young Kids: Smart Washer and Dryer
Dads with young kids do lots of laundry loads every week. It’s a chore few fathers look forward to in the moment and when they get the utility bill.
If you read our blog regularly, then you already know that a clothes dryer is one of the worst appliances for your electric bill. And the washing machine can be an energy hog too if it’s an older top-loading model. Do your dad a favor and get the siblings together to purchase a new smart washer and dryer set.
Most are ENERGY STAR certified, which means they are designed to use less energy. On top of that, smart clothes washers and dryers can be controlled remotely and even set up on a schedule. This is perfect for fathers that have a time-of-use electricity plan because you can time laundry to run when the price per kilowatt-hour is the cheapest. You can also dial in the settings so that each load is run as efficiently as possible.
Best Energy Efficient Gift for Nature-Loving Dads: A Strategically Planted Tree
Trees provide much-needed shade in the summertime, and that shade could lead to energy savings. Here’s a fun fact from Energy.gov – 76% of the sunlight that comes through a regular double-pane window transfers into heat inside. It’s enough to make you want to turn the AC down a few degrees, which increases energy use.
By strategically planting a tree where it blocks direct sunlight hitting windows you can help your dad feel a little more comfortable this summer. But keep three things in mind:
Which trees are native to the area and most likely to grow.
How wide and tall the tree will likely be when it’s fully grown.
Trees need to be far enough away from the house that the roots won’t affect the foundation and the limbs won’t rub against the house.
One more thing to think about is whether you want to plant an evergreen tree that blocks the sunlight year round. This can be a good idea in warmer climates with mild winters.
BONUS: Mature trees add value to the property, so it’s a great investment.
Best Energy Efficient Gift for Brainy dads: Take an MIT Open Energy Course Together
Did you know MIT offers free courses online? And did you know they have a whole program for energy-related courses, like Intro to Sustainable Energy?
Give your dad the gift of knowledge by signing the two of you up for a course. Brainy dads will appreciate learning how to use energy more efficiently and what energy-saving technology is around the corner. They’ll also enjoy getting to take the course with you as a fellow student.
Best Energy Efficient Gift for Techie Dads: An Energy Monitor
Home energy efficient doesn’t get more high-tech than an energy monitor. A home energy monitor gives you real-time readings of how much electricity your home is using and where usage can be reduced. These monitors can also tell you when electronics or appliances shut down or if they begin using more electricity, which signals there could be a problem.
Sense is the gold standard for home energy monitors. It’s pricey at around $300, but your dad could easily end up saving that much in energy by using the monitor to detect inefficiencies. It will also track trends to help you form better energy use habits. For a whole lot less you can get the VUE Smart Home Energy Monitor and still find plenty of ways to save energy.
Give your Father the gift of reliable energy from a supplier that cares! Provider Power has helped families across New England save millions while also supporting more than 100 local non-profits. Check to see if Provider Power energy plans are available in your dad’s neighborhood.
