In the summer, you often wish for the cool crisp days of winter instead of the fierce heat that summer carries. Well, you got it! Winter is finally here, and the temperatures are starting to reflect the season. Are you prepared for the upcoming energy bill that goes along with the cool to frigided temperatures? If not, we have some tips to help conserve energy and save you money.
The following are the items are money-saving tips while conserving energy:
- Seal Attic Air Leaks
- Use Energy Star Products
- Laundry & Water
- Water Heater
- Fireplaces
- Doors & Windows
- Furnace
Seal Attic Air Leaks
Attics are great for storing those seasonal or unused items that you only need once in a blue moon. When it comes to conserving energy, this is your primary culprit. The crawl spaces in your attic are not a finished product. They have been left exposed. They might look sealed, but take a look under your insulation. You may notice that it acts as a blanket and hides the gaps around light fixtures, plumbing pipes, chimneys, and other bypasses.
How to fix these problems? A quick trip to the hardware store can set you right up. All you would need is caulking, insulation foam, drywall, reflective insulation rigid foil insulation. You would only need the standard house tools and DYI for this project. I would also recommend wearing long-sleeved shirts, safety goggles, and a dust mask. Working with insulation can be an itchy situation. You will want to be protected. If working in an older home, please be cautious if you have asbestos insulation.
When you are in the attic, look around for discolored insulation. The moisture escaping into the insulation can freeze or make dust cling to the affected damp area. This solution is an easy fix. The small leaks will only require minimum caulking or spray insulation. When you leave the attic, make sure that it is adequately sealed, seal the entrance with removable caulking until you have to reaccess.
Use Energy Star Products
Energy Star products are energy-efficient products that save consumers more money and protect the environment in the long run. They are widely known and backed by the government as providing unbiased and credible information for consumers is to make an informed decision by being offered all the research.
Look for the Energy Star logo when you decide to replace your next appliance. It will tell you your savings as well. They recommend different products such as LED lightbulbs, electric vehicle chargers, computers, water heaters, thermostats, and more. Click here for more information on the Energy Star products.
Laundry
Who does not love doing laundry? Don’t worry, that was a sarcastic rhetorical question. Unless you love laundry, then you do you. Laundry is a never-ending chore, so make all the loads count. Do not do half loads if you can help it. Always do a full load, and when using the dryer, make sure that you do not fill it more than ¾ full. If you can, use a drying rack or a clothesline on the warmer days to cut some more energy.
When you think of yearly house maintenance, do you consider your dryer? When your clothes dry, they produce lent. You clean out the lint screen between loads, but those screens do not catch all the debris. The rest of it gets blown out the back through your dryer duct. Clean the dryer duct once a year, if not more. A clogged dryer duct can result in a less effective dryer, using more energy than adequately required. If the maintenance goes too long, it could become a fire hazard.
When cleaning the dryer duct, see if the exterior vent has a flap. The vent and flap will not only stop small animals and insects from entering, but it will keep heat from escaping from your house. Around the mounting, if you notice any gaps, make sure to fill them in with caulk.
Water Heater
When you do laundry, take showers, or wash dishes, you use hot water. Where is the source of your hot water? Exactly, Your water heater. When was the last time that you even looked at the water heater? If you are thinking, then it has already been too long.
Touch your water heater; is it warm to hot to touch? That means that energy is escaping, and you are wasting money. Did you know that you can insulate your water heater? Insulation can reduce heat loss and save you in heating costs. Click here for DYI instructions?
You also want to look at the setting of your water heater. What is the current temperature? The most common default setting is 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The safety recommendation is 120 degrees to prevent scalding, and anything lower than 120 degrees can create a risk for bacteria to grow in stagnant water. If you set the thermostat at 120 degrees, you will be safe from the bacteria and scalding water; while saving money in the long run from the 140 degrees.
Have you ever drained and flushed out your water heater? Draining and flushing the water heater should be on your yearly maintenance checklist. This process will remove any sediment residing at the bottom of the water heater. The water heater has to heat the deposit blockage before it gets to your reserved water, resulting in wasteful energy. If the water heater is old and about to expire, you should consider looking at tankless water heaters that are Energy Star approved. While the initial cost can be expensive, the amount of savings can be significant in the long run. There are other perks too, and of course, there are cons to consider. To learn more about the pros and cons, click here.
Fireplace
When you think of fireplaces, you think of being cozy and warm by the fire. The truth is, fireplaces are more for aesthetics rather than efficiency. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, you are losing even more heat.
You have to open the damper to access the flue to release all the smoke, gases, and potential poisonous chemicals created. When you unseal the damper, it is similar to opening a window, except the flue creates a vacuum-like effect and draws out all the heat produced by your furnace. When you are not using the fireplace, you need to close the damper. Failure to do so will result in a significant loss of heat and waste of energy, costing you more money.
Door & Windows
Windows and Doors are the most common yet overlooked items to check for drafts. Think of them as a tailed hole made during construction. When installed, they are insulated and sealed with caulking, but they wear and tear over time. Check for any signs of airflow passing around the lift, spacers, panes, sash lock, and all over. If you notice that you have air leaking through, then you are losing heat. To resolve this problem, you will need to add weather stripping, recaulk, or replace the door sweep.
If you have old windows you instead of replacing them, you can reglaze them and seal any breaks in the glass that cause air to escape. If you consider replacing older windows, consider upgrading to a triple pane glazed glass to save energy in the summer and winter months. Add blinds or curtains to help keep the sun out, and they also act as insulation.
Furnace
You are probably tired of hearing this word, but maintenance is critical. Preventative maintenance will ensure that everything is as it should be and that all the combustion chambers are working correctly. Before the cool days of fall happen, you need to conduct an annual furnace tune-up, this can be a DYI, or you could schedule an appointment for a technician to come out to check your system.
Frequently replacing your air filter will help keep the air quality stable and extend your furnace’s life. Changing your filters will be different for everyone based on various factors. Some people change them monthly, quarterly, or bi-annually. Ensure that you check them frequently if you are not replacing them monthly.
Some other ideas that you might consider when looking at your furnace are checking the seals on your registers, supply ducts, and any entry points from the outside of the house. You can use caulking for all other these. Also, consider insulation on your registers to help with heat loss.
Time to control the temperature. Consider turning down the thermostat when you are not home in the cold winter months. You can do this by installing a smart thermostat. With the smart thermostat, you can control the temperature from a phone. It will also remind you to change your air filter. When you are home, put on warmer apparel when you turn down the heat. You can also save energy by investing in a space heater and running in the most commonly used room. The space heater takes less energy to heat and can focus on the room that you would rather be warmer.
These are just a few tips you can do to save on your monthly energy bill, and there are plenty more that can help save energy. When it comes to saving money, why not start with things you can control. If you think your whole house is just drafty, then sell it and build new! We can help you with that.