wintertime energy savings
Wintertime signals the start of shorter days, snowy weather, and holidays, and there are plenty of things we can do to make sure that more of our money goes towards enjoying the season and less of it goes towards keeping our home a comfortable temperature:
- Utilize ceiling fans to lift colder air upwards and push heated air towards the floor by running them slowly and in a clockwise direction. When fans are used to circulate the air in this manner, you can usually lower the thermostat a few more degrees!
- Hot water pipes can waste heat by cooling the water as it runs through them to their destination. By covering exposed pipes with pre-slit, hollow-core insulation tubes, you can ensure that water stays hotter longer. The same type of pipe insulation is important for cold water pipes that may be exposed to colder temperatures and therefore are susceptible to freezing.
- Seal cracks and gaps in your foundation, windows, siding, and around vents, ducts and fixtures. Caulk and spray foam gap sealer can resolve most of these leaks that allow warm air to escape and cold air to enter your home.
- Insulate around doors by installing weather-stripping from inside the house, and attaching door sweeps to the bottom of exterior doors.
- Adjusting your water heater to 120 degrees can save on electricity used to keep the water tank a consistently hot temperature.
- 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. Replace furnace filters monthly to prolong the life of your furnace and increase efficiency.
- Consider a programmable thermostat, which can conveniently help you save energy by warming the house only when you’re scheduled to be home.
Our Lancaster County customers are encouraged to contact us online or at (717) 626-7169 to schedule annual cleanings or upgrade to a programmable thermostat, if interested in taking advantage of these energy-saving options!