Taking time to put an energy-saving strategy in place during the cooler months will also help you prepare for the heat and humidity of summer, when your energy costs increase significantly. These five steps can help you increase your indoor comfort year-round and lower your energy bills.
- Consider installing a programmable thermostat, especially if you’re away from home all day. It can be hard to remember to adjust the thermostat when you leave, but the programmable thermostats available can hold your settings, especially if you choose one that has a 5-2-day setting to manage different temperature settings when you’re working and not working. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that cooling and heating your home account for 50 percent of your energy costs, which makes a programmable thermostat a sound long-term investment.
- Change your light bulbs to LEDs or CFLs. These use far less energy than halogen or incandescent bulbs and emit less heat.
- Turn the water heater temperature down to 120 degrees. Drain a gallon of water from the water heater tank every three months to get rid of the hard-water deposits that slow the heating process, and use hot water wisely. Take shorter showers, wash only full loads in the dishwasher, and use hot water sparingly in the clothes washer. Water heating is third in line for raising your energy bills, so paying attention to your consumption should be part of your energy-saving strategy.
- Unplug your battery chargers when not in use to cut vampire energy consumption. Many chargers draw electricity even when they’re not charging if they’re left plugged into an outlet.
- Have your heating and cooling system serviced annually and change the air filter for the air handler when a layer of dust builds on it. Running equipment that’s dirty and out of adjustment raises your energy bills and can cause premature breakdowns. Clean filters go a long way toward increasing energy efficiency.
If you would like to learn more about employing an energy-saving strategy for your home, contact CCAC, Inc. We provide top-notch HVAC services for the Coastal Bend and Corpus Christi.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about your energy-saving strategy and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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