5 TIPS FOR AN ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME
It’s time to be efficient and save money. There are a few things you can do to help lower your utility bills at the end of each month. Sometimes we forget to take certain steps to help increase our energy efficiency.
Here are a few tips we’d like to share to make your home more energy efficient.
ENERGY SAVING TIPS
- Have your furnace and air conditioning unit cleaned and checked annually
- Make sure your air ducts are sealed
- Open your blinds in the winter & close them in the summer
- Keep you water heater at an appropriate temperature
- Install a programmable thermostat
Let’s look into these tips a little more.
#1: Furnace and Air Conditioning clean and check
Preventative maintenance has proven itself to be the best way of insuring uninterrupted operation of your heating and cooling equipment. We take a personal interest in caring for your equipment with experienced service technicians and 24 hour service.
#2: Seal your ducts
It’s estimated that 20-30% of the air that moves through the duct work can escape due to poorly connected ducts. This makes your central Heating and Cooling system work harder and will increase your energy bills.
#3: Blinds open in winter and closed in summer
In the summer, blinds keep the sun out which can reduce heat gains by 45%. In the winter, when you let the suns heat into your home, your heating system will not have to work as hard to keep the temperature warm.
#4: Keep you water heater at an appropriate temperature
Most water heater thermostats do not tell you what the actual temperature is, rather they say “hot” or “warm.” With most water heaters, you will not want to set the temperature higher than 120 degrees. For every 10 degrees lower than 120 degrees, you’ll see a 3-5% reduction in energy costs. This will help save money over time.
#5: Upgrade to a programmable thermostat
When using a programmable thermostat, it’s estimated you can save roughly $180 a year on energy bills. You can set schedules to keep your house at certain temperatures while you are away. For more information on programmable thermostats, please give us a call.
