Conserving energy is about more than lowering your utility bills. It’s also about reducing your impact on the environment. You likely have many ways to conserve energy in your home.
Turn Off the Lights
You should always turn off the lights when you leave a room. If you don’t need them to see, there’s no reason to have them on. Also, replace any incandescent bulbs that you still have with LEDs, which consume a lot less energy and last years longer.
Run Your Dishwasher When It’s Full
You can conserve energy and water by only running your dishwasher when it’s full. To save even more energy, let the dishes air-dry instead of using the heat function on your dishwasher. Once you need a new dishwasher, buy one that is Energy Star rated.
Conserve on Heating Water
When you need to replace your water heater, do so with an energy-efficient model. Make sure the temperature is set to 120 degrees since you don’t need water hotter than that, and it can cause scalding.
You can save money on heating water by taking shorter showers. Every minute that you reduce by saves you about $15 a year. Another way to conserve energy is to wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket.
Keep Your HVAC System Maintained
You should have your HVAC system professionally maintained twice a year. Schedule maintenance for your heater for the fall and for your air conditioner in the spring. If you have a heat pump, have it tuned-up twice a year since it works hard year-round.
Maintenance will keep your HVAC system operating efficiently. The service includes cleaning critical parts on which dust and dirt reduce efficiency. The technician may spot small issues and correct them if they are causing your HVAC system to operate inefficiently.
Upgrade Your HVAC System
If your HVAC system is over 10 years old, it’s time to think about replacing it. New models are more energy-efficient than ever before. New systems are less likely to have things go wrong that make your system run less smoothly than it’s designed to.
Weather Masters Corp. in Frederick, MD, can help you decide if your HVAC system needs to be replaced. While we’re a Lennox Premier Dealer, our skilled technicians can service all makes and models of HVAC systems.
Seal Your Ducts
In the average home, about 30% of conditioned air is lost in the ductwork. It seeps out through cracks and gaps. You should have an HVAC company inspect and seal your ducts so that you conserve energy.
Use Smart Power Strips
Even when electronic devices are off, they usually still consume energy as they operate in standby mode. This is called a “phantom load,” and it makes up a significant part of your energy usage. About 75% of the energy consumed by your devices is done in standby mode.
Plug your devices into smart power strips. The power strip will shut off power to devices when they’re not being used. You can choose to have devices shut off after a period of inactivity or at an assigned time every day.
Install a Programmable or Smart Thermostat
Programmable and smart thermostats conserve energy as they turn off or reduce heating and cooling when they’re not needed. You can expect to save nearly $200 a year with a programmable thermostat and even more with a smart one. Some even tell you when to replace the filter in your HVAC system, which conserves even more energy.
Energy Efficient Appliances
It pays to buy Energy Star appliances when you need a new one. Whether it’s your refrigerator, washing machine, or dishwasher, it will consume a lot less energy. To help them operate as efficiently as possible, clean their filters regularly.
Wash Clothes in Cold Water
Heating water consumes the most energy when you wash your clothes in hot water. You can get your clothes just as clean using cold water. In fact, cold water is better at removing stains than hot water.
Use a Slow Cooker
There are many ways to cook things besides in your oven, and they consume less energy. Slow cookers are the most energy-efficient way to cook. They’re 75% more efficient than an oven.
Weather Masters Corp. installs, repairs, and maintains HVAC systems. We install and repair boilers too. Our other services include heating and cooling repair, water heater replacement, indoor air quality solutions, ductwork, and ductless mini-split systems. To schedule an appointment, please call today.
