When trying to find ways to cut costs in your home, you should examine your energy bills. If you assess where you use the most energy in your home, you can take the necessary steps to reduce your usage and decrease your energy bills. Most homes consume a great majority of their energy with heating and cooling systems, hot water heating, appliances, electronics and lightening. Lowering your energy use can significantly reduce your energy bills.
Heating and Cooling
- Upgrade older appliances with energy-efficient units that are the proper size for your home.
- Reduce air loss by sealing ducts to repair holes and cracks.
- Install a digital, programmable thermostat that allows you complete control of the temperature in your home.
- Insulate and weatherproof the home to prevent air loss. Place weather-stripping around doors and windows, and install door jams at the bottom of exterior doors.
- Service your heating and cooling unit at least once a year. A well-maintained HVAC system will help reduce energy bills.
- Regularly replace dirty air filters. A clogged HVAC air filter will cause the unit to work harder and use more energy.
Hot Water
- Lower the temperature on your hot water tank to 120 degrees.
- Use cold water to wash clothing in instead of hot. Most modern detergents are designed to do the job with cold water. In addition, use the appropriate capacity for the load of laundry.
- Prevent heat from escaping from the water tank by wrapping it in a blanket, though consider requesting help from an HVAC professional if you have a gas water heater.
- Insulate pipes with inexpensive foam pipe insulation to prevent heat loss.
Appliances, Electronics and Lighting
- Upgrade old appliances with energy-efficient models. Older appliances tend to use more energy than newer models.
- Refrain from using unnecessary settings – such as the sanitation setting – on the dishwasher.
- Only use the dishwasher when you have a full load.
- Place electronics on sleep mode when not in use.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.
- Never leave the lights or ceiling fans on when not in that room.
- Use power supply strips to plug in multiple electronics.
For more expert tips on lowering your energy bills, contact Mowery Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing. For 40 years, we have provided heating and cooling solutions to the greater Indianapolis area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Mowery services the Brownsburg, Indiana and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
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