Energy Savings Tips for Reducing Power Consumption in Your Home or Business
- Replace air filters regularly – A dirty air filter can reduce the efficiency of your A/C system in the short term and long term. Filthy air filters become serious issues when they result in dirty coils and ducts.
- Improve attic and wall insulation – We now have access to several excellent products, such as Icynene, that can insulate and seal your attic and walls. With proper insulation, you can dramatically reduce cooling and heating costs.
- Window coverings – You can install window coverings and leave them closed during the summer and at night to reduce cooling costs. You can open them during sunlight in the winter to reduce heating costs.
- Low heat appliances – Many newer appliance technologies reject less heat into the home. Inductive ranges and CFL/LED bulbs are common examples. In turn, you can expect lower cooling costs.
- Thermostat settings – Increasing the setting of the A/C thermostat in the summer and lowering it in the winter can reduce both heating and cooling costs. You may also install a programmable thermostat. You can program the temperatures to adjust themselves automatically to match your lifestyle.
- Water heater settings – Setting the thermostat on your water heater to a lower setting will increase the efficiency of the heater. Lower heat settings reduce your thermal losses in the tank and pipes. You may also install a timer on the water heater to keep it off during the night. You can expect modest savings from keeping your water heater off at night.
- A/C and appliance maintenance – Having your HVAC system and appliances checked and cleaned periodically can result in big savings in the long run. Dirty condenser and evaporator coils alone can result in major efficiency losses.
- Photocell controlled outdoor lighting – Using a photocell to turn your lights on and off may result in energy savings. That is especially true if you often forget to turn outdoor lights off during the day.
- Timer switches – Installing timers in place of switches can reduce the cost of items that may accidentally be left. Common items include bath fans, pool lights, garage lights, and attic lights. Intermatic makes several of these timer switches. You can directly install one of those timer switches in place of a switch.
- Ductless A/C – Installing high-efficiency ductless A/C in areas of intermittent or special use can save on energy. Ductless A/C may also improve comfort. These systems are super high-efficiency, from 16 to 25 SEER. They can also give you the flexibility to cool or heat only a specific space. That way, the temperatures of certain rooms won’t affect the entire home or business.
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