Energy Saving Tips for Earth Day
In the spirit of Earth Day, we wanted to share some tips on how you can save some energy when it comes to your home heating and cooling system. Because such a large portion of your home’s energy bill comes from your heating and cooling system, even these small changes can create a big difference in your energy bill!
Here are a few tips for saving some energy that we hope will help everyone out. Most of them are fairly simple and can be done rather quickly and easily. These tips can also help extend the life of your heating and cooling equipment in your home, saving you even more money in the long run.
- Change air filters regularly. Depending on your system, the air filter in your system should be changed monthly or every 3 months. Factors such as smoking or pets can also increase the frequency in which you need to change your filters. A dirty air filter causes your system to work harder, increasing energy use, while decreasing the life of your system.
- Install a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat. Modern thermostats allow you to set a schedule so that your heating or air conditioning system only operates when it needs to. Instead of spending money to heat or cool an empty home, you can program your system to operate only when it needs to in order to have your home the perfect temperature when you get home.
- Reverse the direction that your ceiling fans spin if it has dual- direction capability. In the summer, your fan should be rotating counter-clockwise if you stand under it and look up. This will pull the warmer air down towards the ceiling.
- If there is unused space in your home, such as a guest room, close it off. You can close any vents in this room and keep the door closed. Just make sure there isn’t a large amount of warm air leaking out – if there is, you can place a rolled up towel under the door to prevent this.
- Utilize heavier or sun blocking blinds during warm weather. Sunlight coming in can dramatically increase the temperature inside your home, forcing your air conditioner to keep running, and costing you on your electric bill.
- Install a high efficiency system. Even new, older systems were not as efficient as today’s systems. When you add in the decrease in efficiency due to age, it can be a significant difference. Meyer & Depew offers free, in-home consultations to see if a high efficiency system makes sense to you. A new system can result in amazing savings on your heating and cooling bill.
- Finally, make sure your system receives a maintenance every year. Contact us today to find out about our affordable membership plans, which include yearly maintenance. This is a cost-effective way to ensure your system is operating at its peak performance and getting the longest life out of your system.
