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Energy Efficiency Tips — Use Less, Save More
Higher-Cost Energy Efficiency Upgrades
Higher-Cost Energy Efficiency Upgrades
The following tips involve making major changes in your home in order to save energy. Although these tips involve a higher initial outlay of money, you can expect your savings to be substantial in the long run.
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- Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances
- Products that have the EnergyStar® label use about 20 to 40 percent less energy than other new models.
- Click here for more information on the EPA’s EnergyStar® program or click here to consult the National Resources Defense Council’s guide to purchasing an energy-efficient appliances.
- Convection ovens work by using fans to circulate hot air throughout the open cavity to speed up cooking. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, you can cut your energy use by about 20 percent when cooking with a convection oven, click here for more information.
- To reduce drying time and use less water, choose front loading washing machines that have high spin speeds.
- Insulate Your Home
- To understand what efficiency measures can be good for your home, evaluate them with the Department of Energy’s Insulation Fact Sheet. This information can help you determine which insulation is best for your house and your climate.
You can also follow these general guidelines: - Begin with the insulation in your attic. Good attic insulation can save 20 to 35 percent in heating and cooling costs.
- Install new windows that meet or exceed EnergyStar® specifications. These windows keep heat from escaping in hot climates and keep out half of the sun’s energy. Click here to access the EnergyStar® website to learn more about how much money and energy you can save by installing new windows.
- Cooling and Heating
- In order to ensure that your air conditioning unit is working at its maximum operating efficiency, it is important to know whether it is correctly sized. If your system is too large it will run in short cycles in the cooling mode as the thermostat senses the desired temperature has been reached. When your air conditioning unit runs in these cycles there is less time for moisture removal, which results in higher relative humidity, which can lead to mold growth. Meanwhile, a system that is too small will not adequately cool a home during peak conditions, so it will continuously run all the time and cost you more money.
- Schedule a tune-up with a service professional in early spring to check the operating efficiency and the refrigerant’s ability to cool properly.
- After disconnecting power to the A/C unit, clean the outside condenser coils and fins regularly. Return air grills should also be free from all types of obstructions.
- An electric heat pump is a simple and energy efficient way to heat a home. It works by removing warmth from the outside air and pumping it into your home. For the warmer summer months, a heat pump works just like a typical A/C unit.
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