With the celebration of Earth Day a short time ago and spring cleaning on the minds of many homeowners, it’s the perfect time to make homes more earth-friendly and energy efficient. The fact is, with only a few small, inexpensive changes, homeowners could be on their way to saving 20% or more on monthly energy bills. Here, the home-efficiency pros from Service Experts share tips on how to start saving right now.
1. Install a Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat usually saves between 12% to 23% on a power bill, and it’s also a very good tool to cut down on carbon emissions from a household. How does this happen? Smart thermostats go beyond just programming the time of day for your HVAC system to turn on or off. Some smart thermostats are intuitive and can identify changes in power use patterns and home activity. They can also be programmed while you are away via an app, 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. Hire a Professional to Perform a Heating and Cooling System Tune-Up
Before the summer heat starts, another eco-friendly move is to schedule an air-conditioning system tune-up. It will help homeowners avoid major repairs during the busy season for HVAC technicians and a system that performs optimally minimizes reliance on fossil fuel energy sources.
A tune-up involves cleaning all of the system’s major components, in addition to testing and making adjustments to the unit’s operating system. In addition to checking refrigerant levels and changing out air filters, the condenser located outdoors should also be cleaned and checked.
“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
Adding insulation to a home is an eco-friendly tip that could help save up to 20% on an energy bill. In many residences, air escapes through attics, crawl spaces and basements. If a room is drafty and has problems keeping a consistent temperature, it may be time to inspect your home's attic insulation. Cold floors might also be a sign that basement insulation isn’t satisfactory. All of these problems also lead to additional energy consumption, which leads to increased 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 subject to leaks and heat loss or gain (in summer, no one wants muggy air seeping in). Let Earth Day be a cue to green up these areas of the house by embarking on some quick repairs. Swapping out old weather stripping and caulking around windows are two inexpensive tasks that are fairly easy to tackle, said Lange, and will reduce the load on HVAC systems and the electrical grid too.
5. Use an Energy Zoning System
To create a comfort zoning system for a home, a certified HVAC Expert identifies locations in a house based on its layout, sun exposures and the amount of energy demand different areas need. The HVAC pro can then design a system that precisely distributes air throughout the home balancing comfort and energy efficiency. These systems often involve several thermostats and adjustments to the ductwork. When paired with a smart thermostat, they can substantially improve comfort, save customers more than 30% on their energy bill and greatly 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. Buy Energy-Efficient Light bulbs
If a homeowner’s spending plan doesn't make it possible for major upgrades, replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs is an affordable, eco-friendly decision with a huge impact on the environment. Many LEDs will last up to seven years and use about 90% less power than traditional bulbs.
7. Go Solar
With up to 30% in federal tax credits available to lower the price 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.
To find out more about how to make a home more energy efficient, visit ServiceExperts.com.