by: Ibrahim Saeed
There are so many home energy saving tips and conservation ideas offered these days and all with good intention. However in order to know where to start and to ensure the best possible results, you must first identify the areas of greatest concern.
Addressing your homes heating and cooling costs is the ideal place to start. Why you ask? Because heating and cooling alone can account for nearly half of your total monthly utility bills and if you live in a temperate climate region with both long summer and winter seasons (such as the Midwest and Northeast) these costs can exceed half of your total annual utility bills. Here are 7 energy saving tips and conservation ideas that if adopted can significantly reduce your homes heating and cooling costs.
7 Home Energy Tips To Lower Heating And Cooling Costs
1: If your home has a central heating and cooling system, then periodically check all of the vents (especially floor vents) for possible obstructions such as furniture or rugs.
2: If your home doesn’t have central heating, then make a habit of letting out or “bleeding” any possible air pockets from all of your hot water radiators. The U.S Department of Energy recommends doing this at least once every heating season.
3: Also all hot water radiators, baseboard heaters as well as floor and ceiling vents should be cleaned on a seasonal basis. In homes with central HVAC systems, cleaning of floor and ceiling vents should also be preformed every season.
4: In homes with central HVAC systems, it’s incredibly important to change the air filter every 4 to 6 weeks, not months. Many homeowners often overlook this simple and inexpensive maintenance procedure. In the summer a dirty filter will force your AC unit to work harder to push cool air through your ducts and likewise during the winter months. Many homeowners overlook their a/c and furnace filter simply because they (like me) are prone to forgetting. There are several great websites that offer automatic email reminders.
5: Consider purchasing a ventilated outdoor cover for your a/c unit. These covers are inexpensive and will provide your unit some much needed shade during the summer months. An a/c unit operating in the shade consumes 10% to 15% less electricity than a unit that’s exposed to the scorching sun.
6: Within your comfort level, manually turn down or “setback” your thermostat during the winter and manually and turn up or “set up” during the cooling season. Every degree that a thermostat is set back or up translates into energy savings. However keep your families comfort well in mind.
7: Consider purchasing a programmable thermostat. There relatively inexpensive, easy to install and more importantly allow for automatic and pre scheduled temperature set backs and set ups. This allows homeowners to effortlessly take advantage of the scheduled or habitual time periods that there often not home.
About The Author
It’s true that for some saving energy at home is fueled by environmental concerns, but the savings from conserving is what interests us all. Visit http://www.lower-my-energybill.com/energy-saving-tips.html for other energy saving tips and conservation ideas that are sure to lower their utility bills for years to come.
Ibrahim Saeed,
http://www.lower-my-energybill.com