Heating and cooling costs can really put a dent in your bank account if you’re not taking care to mitigate loss. In fact, costs associated with heating and cooling can be one of the biggest money drains found in residential properties. Thankfully there are ways to mitigate these costs and save big when it comes to keeping your home feeling comfortable.
1. Check Your Insulation
Your attic insulation can be one of the biggest problem areas in your home. Sufficient attic insulation can save you anywhere between 10% to 50% on heating and cooling costs overall. Proper insulation here can also help prevent ice dams which can cause roof damage and additional expensive financial problems. If your attic has never been inspected, consider reaching out to a professional insulation service to get their opinion on what could be improved. Other areas in your home may also need improvement, especially around windows where energy loss can occur more easily.
2. Energy Saving Drapes, Curtains, and Blinds
While natural light is great to have in a home, if one area is getting too much direct sunlight, you can experience hot spots. These areas can cause HVAC systems to work overtime to compensate. Having energy-saving curtains, drapes, or blinds installed can help mitigate this issue. Some even allow for natural light to pass through, while blocking a majority of the heat that could cause issues. This means that you won’t have to worry about wasting power on lighting throughout the day, saving more money.
3. Use Your AC Sparingly
Over 84% of homes in the US have some kind of air conditioning system installed. While this can help keep your home cool during the summer, it can also be a huge energy drain that costs money. To cut down on these costs, consider only using the AC when you need it and turning it off when you don’t. This can include turning it off or on low when you’re out of the house or sleeping. Installing a smart thermostat can also help regulate the usage as you can set specific times for it to kick on and off.
4. Make Use of Fans
If your home has ceiling fans, check and see if it has a switch to change the direction it rotates. In the summer your fan should spin counterclockwise so that it pushes cool air downward. In the winter it should spin clockwise to draw cool air upward making the room feel warmer. If you don’t have ceiling fans, even installing small energy-efficient portable fans in the rooms you use most can help keep you cool in the summer, with the option to store them away during the winter. When the sun goes down during the summer, you can also place the small fans in your window to draw in cooler air so that you can turn off your AC for the night without worry.
5. Don’t Skimp on Maintenance
Regular HVAC maintenance is important to ensure that it is working correctly and not overworking and costing you money. Even simply replacing your filter as directed can help cut energy consumption by 5% to 15%. Regular maintenance is also important to ensure nothing dangerous is occurring inside the equipment. For instance, a freon leak could cause numerous problems such as difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, coughing, and skin and eye irritation. This refrigerant is also tasteless and odorless so it could be leaking without you ever knowing.
Taking care of your HVAC system and making sure your home is shored up against energy loss are some of the best ways to save money on heating and cooling. Consider the above tips and take a look at your own home to see how you can begin saving today.
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