We’ve all heard, or know from experience, that it’s the little things that matter most and every little bit helps. This adage is also true for making our Twin Cities-area homes more energy efficient. With our long heating season on the horizon, now’s a good time to make some adjustments in your energy use. Little things you do every day can mean a lot when your goal is saving money and improving energy efficiency around the home. Here are just some of the many little things you can do:
- Seal air leaks. Caulk or weatherstrip leaks around windows and doors. Add weatherstripping under doors. Seal around holes where pipes, vents or electrical outlets enter through the walls, ceilings or floors.
- During the heating season, set your thermostat to 60 degrees when leaving the house for an extended period. Turn down to 68 degrees when you’re home. Use a programmable thermostat to make these adjustments “automatic.” Heat pumps are an exception and shouldn’t be set back (or only by a couple of degrees) so that alternative or back-up heating doesn’t kick in.
- Replace or clean heating system filters monthly during the heavy-use season. At the minimum, switch them out every three months.
- Get annual professional maintenance. When your furnace or heat pump is kept clean, oiled and correctly adjusted, it uses less energy.
- Lower the hot water temperature. Use the “normal” setting or set to 120-degrees, unless this is counter to manufacturer’s instructions. Add insulation around the first five feet of pipe coming from the top of the water heater.
- Use the sun’s natural heating. Open the curtains and blinds to help heat the house for free. Close the drapes at night and keep the warmth in.
- Shut off lights when no longer needed.
- Turn off kitchen and bath exhaust fans once they’ve done their job; otherwise they can blow out and waste your home’s heated air.
- Do full loads when using dishwashers and clothes-washing machines. Use the cold water for clothes when possible.
- Clean the lint trap in your dryer after every use.
If you have questions about improving energy efficiency in your home or other HVAC issues, contact the experts at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. Visit our website to learn more or just give us a call.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy efficiency and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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