Spring is here and hopefully, soon,
warm weather will follow. As you begin your spring cleaning, this is
a great time to find areas in your home where energy efficiency is needed. You might not realize there are multiple
places that could use a little touch ups to keep your utility bill as
low as possible. There are even behaviors that you can adopt to avoid
being energy wasteful.
Ceiling Fans
Having ceiling fans in your home is a
good idea, but an excellent idea is absolutely having one in your
bedroom. Many people in the warmer months will turn their air conditioner down at night to sleep more comfortably. A better
idea is to make sure the ceiling fan is on at bedtime. If it is right
over your bed, the cool air will circulate down and keep you cool.
Just remember to turn them off when you leave the room as they serve
no purpose when no one is under them and only waste energy.
Lighting
A recently passed federal law is
helping to phase out incandescent bulbs. U.S. manufacturers will no
longer be able produce 100-watt bulbs. Compact fluorescent lights
(CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) will become the new standard
light bulbs. Each light bulb you swap to a CFL will cut back on your
energy by 75 percent. Not to mention that they last at least 10 times
longer than incandescent bulbs. You will be surprised at how much
energy can be saved simply by swapping out your lighting
source.
Insulation
When your home is properly insulated,
it can really cut back your utility bill. The best places to start
when insulating are in drafty areas. For instance, if you have an
attic, it should be at the top of your list. After adding insulation
to this area wait and see the difference in your next bill. You can
call an expert to take care of your insulation needs or take care of
it yourself. If you choose the latter, you need to answer three
questions before beginning.
- Where does your home need to be insulated?
- What type of insulation is currently in your home?
- What is the thickness and R-value (measurement for insulation's resistance to heat flow – the higher the value the better the resistance) of your current insulation?
Energy Star Appliances
This might be more of a costly update
to your home to make it more energy efficient, but you will save so
much more money in the long run. By updating an old refrigerator to
manufacturer
who has been given an Energy Star label, you can save up to 40
percent in energy. An Energy Star dishwasher will save on average
1,300 gallons of water in its lifetime.
Kitchen appliances are not the only
appliances that can be Energy Star related. Your television and other
electronics can, too. So whenever you update any of these items in
your home remember to be on the outlook for these particular brands.
Always turn all electronics off when they are not in use, and if they
can be unplugged that is an even better idea as some pieces of
technology continue to use energy when turned off.
Windows
If you have single pane windows in your
home, there is a good chance air is leaking right through them. Cold
air will go right out, and warm air will seep in. Energy Star double
pane windows make great updates to keep the air you are producing in
your home exactly where you need it to be. If you are unable to
update your windows, try weather stripping or caulking to prevent
leaks.
Another way to keep the temperature
inside your home the way you like it is to add curtains to your
windows. Keep them closed to protect against the sun's rays and to
keep a room from unnecessarily warming up. If you live somewhere that
gets cool at night, it is also recommended to turn off your cooling
appliances and open the windows.
Air Filter
Check your air filter every month –
especially in high use months. At minimum an air filter should be
changed every three months, but if it looks dirty sooner than that,
change it. A dirty air filter will cause your system to work harder
and can drastically change the air quality in your home.
Thermostat
How you operate your thermostat in the
spring and summer can really make a difference on your utility bill.
A programmable thermostat is recommended for most homes –
especially those that are empty for large periods of the day. When
you are not home, your thermostat should be programmed to a warmer
than normal level, and when you return home do not turn it down past
what you usually consider normal. This could result in excessive
cooling and higher bills. Also, at bedtime a good rule of thumb is to
set your thermostat four to five degrees higher than normal. Use your
ceiling fan or open windows if you absolutely need it to be cold.
Finally, never place your thermostat in a warm area or place warm
appliances near it. This could leave your air running much longer
than needed.
Source: Energy.gov,
Energy Star, Bounce Energy
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