Increasing Energy Efficiency in Your Home Room by Room

The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills, according to Energystar.gov.  Reducing energy costs can be done by making simple changes that you can put in place today.  Of course, if you want the most up to date technology and systems in home energy efficiency, contact us to help personalize the best energy solutions for your residence.  For now, you should start by using our room by room guide to create a more energy efficient home today.

Have your ductwork inspected for leaks to make sure you are not losing cooled air through the duct systems to the outside.

Hire a professional to make sure your home and attic is sufficiently insulated to keep cool air in and hot air out during the summer and warm air in and cold air out during winter.

Move lamps, electronics and appliances away from your room’s AC thermostat.  The heat from equipment can cause the air conditioner to work harder than necessary, because the thermostat senses heat radiating from these electrical devices.

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).  CFLs have a longer lifespan and are cooler than incandescent bulbs.  Heat radiates from those bulbs and only a small percentage actually results in a lighting source.

Raise your AC temperature a few degrees to a comfortable level.

Unplug and turn off electronic devices nightly.

Disconnect kitchen appliances when not in use.  Make your life easier by purchasing an outlet strip; turn off everything with the click of a button.

Reduce the use of your oven by cooking dinner on the grill once weekly.

Only run the dishwasher when you have a full load.

When replacing kitchen appliances select Energy Star rated products.

Adjust laundry settings appropriately. Avoid using high temperatures to wash clothing, unless washing heavily soiled items.

Avoid washing small loads and commit to washing full loads of laundry only.

Clean your dryer lint trap after each use to keep your machine working efficiency and avoid a fire hazard.

Air or line dry your family’s laundry.  It not only saves energy, but your clothing will smell fresh too.

There are many great ways to increase energy efficiency outdoors as well.

Planting trees and shrubs around your home can provide shade from the sun. Landscaping is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it can save money and keep your home cool. According to Energy.gov, a well-planned landscape can reduce an unshaded home’s air conditioning costs by 15-50 percent.

When performing regular yard maintenance make sure to keep the area around your air conditioning units free and clear of debris.  You should also keep your AC coils clean.  Simple maintenance will keep your HVAC from overworking to keep your home cooler.

With the first day of summer approaching there is no better time than today to start implementing the tips in this simple guide to help increase your home’s energy efficiency.

https://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/HeatingCoolingGuide%20FINAL_9-4-09.pdf?600f-de23

https://energy.gov/articles/energy-saver-101-infographic-landscapingt Started Today With Your Home Energy Savings!