Spring is in the air and it’s a great time for spring cleaning and finding how to save energy in your home! Not only does that involve cleaning your house and yard, but also involves getting your home ready for the coming warmer months. This is a great time of year to evaluate your energy usage as well since using the air conditioner causes your electric bills to rise. There are also areas of your house that you may not realize are wasting energy and you can find ways to reduce usage. Examine these energy-efficient tips to help you in your home.
Tune Up Your AC
Before it gets too hot, this is the time of year to tune up your air conditioner. Even if the filters are new, you can have other issues with the AC that affect its performance.
Maintenance Check
The coolant level may be low, which is hard on your air conditioning system. This is a great time of year to get a professional maintenance check. You don’t want to find out that your air conditioner isn’t working properly when you need it in the sweltering heat.
Change Your Air Conditioning Filters
Make sure that you change your air filters on a regular basis. This helps keep your equipment running properly and improves the air quality in your house.
Pet People Should Know
If you don’t know when you changed the filter last, you should do it now. It’s a good idea to change your air filter every few months. It depends on how often it’s used and if you have any pets in your house. If you have pets, you need to change your filter more often.
Vacuum Refrigerator Coils
If the refrigerator coils are dusty and dirty, the fridge may be working harder than it needs to and using more energy than it would otherwise.
Clean it Up
Take the time to vacuum and wipe down the back of the fridge. Since you’re doing your spring cleaning anyway, make sure to hit the back of the fridge that never gets attention during other points in the year.
Set Your Thermostat With a Purpose
Consider 78 degrees as the agreed-upon, ideal temperature to save on energy costs.
The Comfort Zone
These figures also maintain comfort during warmer weather. For each degree above 78 degrees, you could save about 6 to 8 percent off of your energy bill.
Reprogram Your Thermostat
Since your thermostat was probably set for winter temperatures, now is the time to reset it so it reflects the necessary settings for summer.
Save Money and Energy
Programmable thermostats are great for saving energy and money. It’s ideal to set the temperature higher when no one is in the house and automatically have it be cooler during the hours’ people are present and overnight. The cooler temperature at night makes it easier for you to get some needed sleep.
Redirect Ceiling Fans
Make sure that your ceiling fans run counterclockwise to help cool your home in the summer.
Circulate More Air
This circulates more air and reduces the amount of time that you need to run your air conditioner.
Natural Ventilation
Delay use of the air conditioner by using natural ventilation. After being cooped up in a stuffy house all winter, you may already find yourself longing to open the windows for some fresh air. Not only is this great for you, but it’s also good for saving energy as well.
Open the Windows
Open multiple windows in your house to encourage a cross breeze. This cools off and freshens your house without having to touch the air conditioner. Do this as often as possible when the weather cooperates, and you can enjoy some great energy savings.
Limit Using the Oven
During the colder months, you may have loved using the oven as it added heat to your home.
Different Eating Habits
What made the oven so appealing in the winter makes it unappealing during the summer. You don’t want to run the air conditioner more often to combat the oven. Prepare more cold foods or use the grill outside to avoid using the oven as often.
Other Smart Tips
Consider a few other smart tips to clean up, save energy, and have a more efficient home.
Did You Ever Think of These Ideas?
For example, seal all air leaks. Keep all the cool air from the air conditioner inside your house. Make sure any leaks around doors and windows are sealed. Dust your light bulbs, vents, and electronics. If these things are covered in dust, they won’t be able to run at maximum capacity. While doing your spring cleaning, ask yourself how we can save money in our daily life. Invest in Energy Star appliances. If you’re going to buy any new appliances, make sure they are Energy Star certified. These appliances run more efficiently without compromising function. They can reduce your home energy use by up to 50 percent.
Enjoy a more energy-efficient home this season by following these tips! Schedule a home energy audit to find out more practical and affordable ways to conserve energy and reduce your utility bills.
Thank you for reading our blog! How can we help you? Contact us today.
