summertime energy savings
Summertime signals the start of longer days, beach vacations, and higher electricity bills for most of us, but there are plenty of things we can do to make sure that more of your money goes towards enjoying the season and less of it goes towards keeping your home a comfortable temperature:
energy-saving tips
- Ceiling fans allow you to set your thermostat four degrees higher in the summer, without any reduction in comfort, as long as you have the blades rotating in a counter clockwise direction (when looking up at it) to force air down. By only running them when people are in the room, you can save on electricity that is usually used by your air conditioner to keep up with warmer temperatures. Sometimes, a ceiling fan prevents you from having to turn on your air conditioner at all.
- Natural ventilation can supplement your air conditioning on cooler days by opening the windows at night while sleeping and closing windows and blinds in the morning to trap cool air inside your home. Window treatments that block out light can insulate your house and improve energy efficiency, not allowing the sunlight to increase interior temperatures.
- Adjusting your water heater to 120 degrees can save on electricity used to keep the water tank a consistently hot temperature.
- Plan to use your appliances in coordination with the temperatures. For example, do not plan on baking or other activities that require the use of the oven and other hot devices (electronics, incandescent lightbulbs, hair dryers, clothing dryers, dishwashers, candles, etc.) on hot days. Regular household items can give off a surprising amount of heat that can make it more difficult for air conditioning systems to maintain a comfortable and consistent temperature in your home.
- Limit the duration of hot showers, and only wash full loads of laundry and dishes, in order to conserve hot water and reduce the energy used to run the hot water heater.
- Throughout the year, check for cracks around windows and doors, as well as in siding and joints. By sealing openings with weather-stripping, caulk, or repairs, you will prevent your cool air from leaking outside of your home.
- Be sure to keep after your HVAC equipment, scheduling annual cleanings, vacuuming registers and vents, and keeping all air-flow devices unobstructed by furniture or fixtures.
- Consider a programmable thermostat, which can conveniently help you save energy by cooling the house only when you’re scheduled to be home. By lowering the thermostat setting to 78 degrees when you are away, you can maximize energy savings.
contact us
Customers can contact us to schedule annual HVAC tune-ups, or to inquire about the latest programmable thermostats. Our office hours are Monday – Friday, 7:30AM – 4:00PM, and you can reach us at (717) 626-7169.