Cutting back on energy consumption around your home is the first step towards living a greener lifestyle. As such, implementing these effective home energy-saving tips can help you get started:
Use Your Ceiling Fans
The moving blades of a ceiling fan create a wind chill effect, so you can dial dial back your A/C’s thermostat setting a few degrees and still stay comfortably cool.
Reduce Your Reliance on the A/C
During the summer months, open your windows and run your ceiling fans at night instead of operating your air conditioner. During the morning, close all of your windows and curtains to reduce heat gain and lessen your A/C’s workload. To see the greatest savings, install energy-efficient window treatments.
Air Seal the Exterior
You can stop wasteful conditioned air losses by plugging leaks in your home’s exterior shell. Then, install weatherstripping around doors, and replace any broken door sweeps.
You should also re-caulk your windows and install self-adhesive weatherstripping on all moving parts. Next, seal holes and gaps around your foundation and any utility, plumbing and electric penetrations with caulk or expandable foam insulation.
Maintain Your HVAC Equipment
Before the start of the cooling season, have your A/C inspected by a reputable HVAC contractor to ensure it’s not wasting any energy. Make sure to check your air filter monthly and change it if you see any dirt.
Keep Your Refrigerator Running Efficiently
Your refrigerator uses roughly 11 percent of the total energy consumed in your home. You can keep your refrigerator operating efficiently by dusting the coils regularly. Also, make sure the door seals are clean and can close tightly to prevent unnecessary energy waste.
Limit Heat-Generating Activities
When the weather warms up, cook on your outdoor grill instead of turning on the oven. You can skip the heated-dry cycle on your dishwasher and air dry your laundry. Also, replace inefficient, heat-generating incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving alternatives that run more efficiently.
For more home energy-saving tips that can help you live a greener life in the Twin Cities metro area, contact Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning today.
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-savings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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