When it comes to new year’s resolutions, gym memberships and healthy meal-subscription boxes likely dominate your thinking. However, there are some good resolutions that don’t require extreme sacrifices to your daily habits. Here are seven top resolutions for people who want to slash their home energy consumption and earn long-term savings.
1. Get an Energy Audit
You suspect that your home is not as energy efficient as you’d like. However, investing in new windows, energy-saving appliances, or extra insulation may not be the answer to your power consumption woes. Getting a home energy audit will let you know exactly where your home is losing energy. You can use the results of your inspection to guide your decisions about implementing energy-saving improvements in your home.
2. Lower Your Water Heater Temperature
When considering the biggest energy hogs in your home, your eyes will inevitably rest on your water heater. Only your home’s central heating unit uses more power than your water heater according to findings that Consumer Reports published. If you have teens in your household, you know that recommending shorter showers isn’t very realistic. Instead, lower the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save up to 5 percent on your water heating costs by lowering your water heater’s temperature by 10 degrees.
3. Install Sealers Around Doors and Windows
Did you know that your home can lose about 25 percent of its cooled air through leaky windows and doors? Besides locking windows to ensure a good seal, you can install weather stripping around your windows and doors to stop heated and cooled air from escaping.
4. Install a Smart Thermostat
Reduce your energy consumption by only turning on your home’s heating and cooling unit when you need it. The best way to do this is by installing a smart thermostat that you can program to turn on at pre-set temperatures remotely. Some smart thermostats are equipped with geofencing technology that tracks your location by GPS. This feature enables the devices to adjust settings when you leave and shortly before you return for maximum energy savings.
When you install your new smart thermostat, take note of its placement. A thermostat in direct sunlight will give an inaccurate reading of the overall temperature in your house and thwart your energy-saving efforts.
5. Use a Timer for Exterior Security Lighting
Lighting is another energy hog that must be dealt with effectively to achieve real energy efficiency. If you’re like most homeowners, you’ve already switched out your offending incandescent bulbs with LEDs or CFLs that operate at a fraction of the cost. However, you can take your energy-saving skills to the next level by putting your exterior security lighting on a timer or by using motion-detection security lighting.
6. Air Dry Your Clothes
Clearwater is known for its sublime winter and spring temperatures. Why not take advantage of this mild climate to air dry your clothes? Energy experts estimate that the average American household uses 100 kWh of power each month to run a clothes dryer. With these types of savings in view, you’ll want to install a clothesline in your backyard and save your electric dryer for rainy days.
7. Upgrade to an Energy-Efficient HVAC System
While most HVAC systems are designed to last up to 15 years, you may want to replace an inefficient, malfunctioning system at its 10th anniversary. In the last decade, HVAC manufacturers have brought more energy-efficient systems to market. Ductless, packaged, and variable-speed HVAC systems are just some of the models to consider for lower power consumption.
Bottom line: If you have questions about choosing the right replacement HVAC system for your Clearwater home, give ACS Home Services a call at 813-213-3537. Our certified HVAC technicians are standing by to make your home as comfortable and energy-efficient as possible.
