Conserving energy is an important way to reduce your utility bills and help the environment. There are several measures that you can take to reduce your energy consumption, and some are even free.
1. Do a Home Energy Audit
You can get a home energy audit to learn the best ways to conserve energy in your home. The audit identifies what consumes the most energy and how to reduce waste. Many utilities offer free home energy audits, but you’ll get a much more comprehensive one if you have an HVAC company do it.
2. Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances
When an old appliance needs to be replaced, it pays to replace it with an energy-efficient model. They may cost a little more than conventional appliances, but they pay for themselves in reduced utility bills. Look for appliances with the Energy Star rating and compare them to see which is best.
3. Switch to LED Light Bulbs
LED light bulbs consume far less energy than incandescent bulbs. They also last far longer and are not all that much more expensive. At the very least, replace the most-used bulbs in your house with LEDs to conserve energy.
4. Turn Your Water Heater Down
It’s often the case that water heaters are set at too high a temperature. This is not only a waste of money, but it is a safety issue since you can get scalded. The ideal temperature for a water heater is 115 Fahrenheit. You’ll have plenty of heat while enjoying lower utility bills.
5. Stay Current With Your HVAC Maintenance
You should schedule your HVAC system to receive professional maintenance twice a year. Have an HVAC company tune-up your air conditioner in the spring and your furnace in the fall. Among the benefits of maintenance is that your HVAC system will maintain its energy efficiency. Neglected HVAC systems lose up to 5% of their efficiency every year.
Affordable Service Solutions Heating & Air Conditioning in Richmond, KY, offers HVAC maintenance services. We also have a maintenance plan that comes with benefits like fewer repairs, priority service, 15% discount on repairs, and extended equipment life.
6. Use Smart Laundry Habits
When you wash clothes, use cold water and only do full loads of laundry. Most modern laundry detergents work well in cold water. You only need to use hot water when you need to disinfect some clothing. You can conserve over $60 in energy costs a year by following these habits.
7. Keep the Oven Door Closed While Cooking
You should only open the oven door when you have to while cooking. Every time you open the door, the temperature inside drops by 25 degrees or more. Your oven will have to work harder, and your food will take longer to cook when you open the door. Another idea is to do all of your baking on one day of the week, so you don’t have to use the oven multiple times.
8. Plant Trees
Plant deciduous trees a foot away from your house to save energy. The trees will block the sun in the summer, so your home won’t heat up as much and your HVAC system can work less. In the winter, the sun will shine through and heat your house once the leaves have fallen.
9. Take Shorter, Cooler Showers
You use about 2.5 gallons of water per minute when showering, and much of this is hot water. You can conserve energy by taking shorter, cooler showers. Shaving four minutes off your daily shower time can save about 3,600 gallons of water a year.
10. Use Power Strips
Electronics consume a lot of energy even when they’re turned off, as they usually have standby modes. There’s no point in letting them consume energy when you’re not using them, such as when you’re away at work. Plug your electronics into power switches so that you can quickly turn them off to conserve energy.
11. Change Your Temperature Settings
You should let your house get a little warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter than you probably are right now. Heating and cooling your home accounts for about half of your utility bills, so you have a big opportunity to conserve energy. Try setting the temperature to 68 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees in the summer.
Affordable Service Solutions Heating & Air Conditioning is an HVAC company in Richmond that services furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, packaged systems, and thermostats. Our services include repair, installation, and preventative maintenance. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or if you have any questions.
