Energy prices aren’t likely to drop in the foreseeable future, so many Corpus Christi-area homeowners are looking for ways to reduce their consumption. The following tips are designed to help you increase your energy efficiency, and keep your utility bills under control.
1. Place your appliances and electronics on power strips, and turn off the strips when they’re not in use. This significantly reduces the “phantom load” that typically accounts for 75 percent of their energy consumption.
2. Lower the thermostat setting on your water heater by 10 degrees, and wrap it in an insulating fiberglass jacket. Consider installing a 24-hour timer to shut down the appliance for a set period every day.
3. Top up your attic insulation. Here in the Coastal Bend, you should have a total of R-38 in your attic to reap the greatest energy savings.
4. Leave all your HVAC registers open, and don’t close interior doors. It’s a common misconception that shutting off unused rooms will lower energy consumption, but this actually has the reverse effect.
5. Invest in an energy monitor. By tracking your electricity use and determining where you can cut back, you could reduce your annual usage by 15 to 20 percent. Refrigerators and freezers in the garage can be a big energy guzzler.
6. Tighten up your home against outdoor air infiltration. Unsealed air leaks can adversely impact your home’s energy efficiency by 5 to 30 percent annually.
7. Seal and insulate your ductwork. Yearly energy losses through leaky ducts can be as high as 10 to 30 percent.
8. Use your HVAC thermostat wisely. A simple one-degree temperature adjustment can translate to energy saving of five to eight percent a year.
9. Make sure that your heating and cooling system is properly maintained. Regularly scheduled maintenance by an HVAC professional will keep it operating at peak efficiency and save you money.
10. Clean or replace your air filter once a month, and keep your outdoor HVAC equipment free of dirt and debris to maintain that energy efficiency.
For more tips on improving your home’s energy efficiency, contact us at CCAC. We’ve served the HVAC needs of the Corpus Christi area since 1979.
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 energy-savings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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