Fall is officially here and soon most of us will be turning our heating systems on. Now is the perfect time to make some easy changes to save energy (and money!) over the fall and winter seasons. We are big fans of being energy efficient wherever you can, especially in the home! Here are 5 easy ways you can save energy this fall and winter.
INSTALL A PROGRAMMABLE OR SMART THERMOSTAT
While both a programmable and a smart thermostat will help you save energy and money, the main difference between the two is convenience. The smart thermostat can be controlled from your phone whether you are home or not. If that is not an important aspect to you, a programmable thermostat is a more inexpensive option that can be used to create a daily schedule that keeps the thermostat at energy-saving temperatures and then changes the temperature at a certain time to be more comfortable. Generally, people will program the thermostat to keep the home colder while they are at work and will have it automatically turn the heat on at the time they are coming home so the temperature is comfortable when they arrive. Some studies have shown that using a programmable thermostat can help save you around $200 a year, sometimes even more.
CHANGE THE FILTERS ON YOUR HVAC SYSTEM
Your HVAC system needs to have clean filters to run efficiently. If your filters are full of built-up dust your system will have to work harder than it needs to work. What this means for you is increased energy usage, therefore increased energy bills. Change your filters as recommended by the manufacturer to keep your system working as efficiently as possible. If you haven’t had your system checked by a professional this year, you should schedule a tune-up, just like you would your vehicle.
SEAL IT UP
Have you ever felt a cold draft around any doors or windows in your home? If so, you have a leaky house. This not only allows outside air in, but the air that you are heating can be escaping. You are literally throwing money out the window. You can grab some weatherstripping at any home improvement store to fix this problem.
BE STRATEGIC WITH YOUR WINDOWS
If you get a lot of sun in your south-facing windows over the fall and window, open those blinds and curtains to allow the sun to heat up your home. Once the sun starts to go down, close the curtains tight to help lock in the heat. Keep the curtains closed on any windows that do not get a lot of sunlight coming through.
CHECK THE DIRECTION OF YOUR CEILING FANS
Most people tend to not use their ceiling fans during the cold seasons because they don’t realize there is a different setting for the fall and winter. During the summer season, you should have your fans running counterclockwise. During the fall and winter seasons, you should flip the switch on your ceiling fan to change the direction it runs to clockwise. As you know, heat rises and if the fan is running clockwise it will push that warm air back down into the room where you are.
We hope these tips will help you as you try to save energy and money this fall and winter. If you have a move coming up, give us a call at ZIPPY SHELL (888-947-7974). We would be happy to discuss our storage and moving services and provide you with a free estimate. We look forward to hearing from you!