With the celebration of Earth Day a short time ago and spring cleaning on the minds of a lot of homeowners, it’s an ideal time to make homes more earth-friendly and energy efficient. The fact is, with only a few small, economical changes, homeowners could be on their way to saving 20% or more on monthly energy expenses. Here, the home-efficiency professionals from Service Experts share tricks on how to start saving now.
1. Purchase a Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat normally saves between 12% to 23% on an energy bill, and it’s also a very good tool to reduce carbon emissions from a home. How is that possible? Smart thermostats provide more functions than just programming the time of day for the system to turn on or off. Some smart thermostats are intuitive and can detect changes in power use patterns and home activity. They can also be programmed from another location, and can be programmed to send a notification to homeowners about changes that may affect their energy bill.
“This technology saves you money and also makes life easier,” explained Service Experts’ Lisa Lange. “It’s a low-cost way to improve energy efficiency in your home immediately.”
2. Schedule a Heating and Cooling System Tune-Up
Before the summer heat starts, another eco-friendly move is to schedule routine maintenance for your air-conditioning system. Routine maintenance will help homeowners avoid large and costly repairs during the busy season for HVAC professionals and a system that performs optimally minimizes reliance on fossil fuel energy sources.
A routine maintenance appointment involves cleaning all of the system’s major components, plus testing and making adjustments to the unit’s operating system. In addition to checking refrigerant levels and switching out air filters, the outdoor condenser should also be cleaned and inspected.
“During your tune-up, it’s a great time to tap the expertise of an HVAC pro,” noted Lisa Lange. “We encourage customers to ask about thermostat settings, when to change air filters and bring any other questions they may have about the energy efficiency of their home.”
3. Add Insulation
Installing more insulation in a home is a green tip that could help save up to 20% on a utility bill. In many residences, air gets out through attics, crawl spaces and basements. If a room is drafty and has difficulty holding a consistent temperature, it may be time to check attic insulation. Cold floors could also be a sign that basement insulation isn’t at the level you really need it to be. All of these concerns also lead to additional energy consumption, which leads to more carbon emissions.
“Many homeowners are surprised when they learn their home is under-insulated, but it’s actually quite common,” said Lange. “The good news is that, just like a smart thermostat, you can see the utility cost savings from this decision very quickly. You will also take comfort in knowing that you are helping improve our environment through reduced emissions.
4. Ensure Your Home Is Airtight
Windows, ductwork, light sockets and weather stripping around doors are all areas of the home susceptible to leaks and heat loss or gain (in summer, no one wants hot air seeping in). Let Earth Day be a cue to green up these areas of the house by embarking on some simple repairs. Swapping out old weather stripping and caulking around windows are two low-cost tasks that are reasonably easy to tackle, said Lange, and will lessen the load on HVAC systems and the electrical grid too.
5. Consider an Energy Zoning System
To develop a comfort zoning system for a home, a certified HVAC professional identifies locations in a house based on its layout, sun exposures and the amount of energy demand different areas require. The HVAC pro can then design a system that properly distributes air throughout the home balancing comfort and energy efficiency. These systems commonly use multiple thermostats and adjustments to the ductwork. When coupled with a smart thermostat, they can dramatically improve comfort, save customers more than 30% on their energy bill and seriously reduce a home’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“How many times in a day do we heat or cool a room no one is using? It happens all the time, and it adds up to significant energy waste, and these systems are an optimal solution,” Lange said.
6. Use Energy-Efficient Light bulbs
If a homeowner’s budget doesn’t make it possible for major upgrades, replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs is an inexpensive, eco-friendly decision with a big impact on the environment. The majority of LEDs will last up to seven years and use about 90% less electricity than traditional bulbs.
7. Go Solar
With some 30% in federal tax credits available to reduce the expense of a solar installation, there may never be a better time to install one on a home. Over their lifetime, these quality, energy-producing systems can generate an average savings of about $60,000 and greatly reduce your home's cumulative carbon footprint.
“We have the best program in the country. Our experts will develop an energy savings plan that will help you get the most out of your system and show you’re making a direct positive impact on the environment,” Lange said.
For more information about how to make a home more energy efficient, visit ServiceExperts.com.