The ways you can save energy at home vary from room to room, but look carefully and you'll discover many opportunities for reducing your carbon footprint and realizing energy savings. Let the tips below guide you, and use them in your home whenever you can.
Living Room
The living room offers ways to save energy from ceiling to floor. Start with the air conditioning/heating registers. Make sure ductwork is securely attached to the vents so that no air is leaking around them. Check for air leaks around windows, exterior doors, light switches and wiring on exterior walls. Seal the openings with caulk or insulation.
Close blinds and curtains in summer to prevent heat gain. In winter, open the blinds during the day, and close them at night to prevent heat loss.When you choose an entertainment center or appliance, make sure it's rated by Energy Star, the Environmental Protection Agency's energy efficiency program. Plug all electronic appliances and lamps into a power strip, which you should turn off when you leave the room. Also, use fluorescent light bulbs for light fixtures, and turn lights off when the occupants leave the room.
Bathroom
Save water by fixing toilet, sink and shower leaks. Take shorter showers and install low-flow shower heads, faucets and toilets. To help get rid of moisture that contributes to higher humidity and a clammy feeling that inspires turning down the thermostat, install exhaust ventilation. Replace vanity lights with Energy Star-certified fixtures and bulbs, and always turn off lights when you leave the room.
Attic
Keep heat from the attic out of the home by insulating and weatherstripping the attic hatch. Likewise, seal air leaks around an attic or furnace flue, and cover gaps with metal flashing or high-temperature caulk. Repair holes in ducts with mastic and metal tape. Make sure there's proper ventilation in the attic to let out heat and moisture.
For more on how to save energy at home, contact Air Assurance. We've been serving the Tulsa metropolitan area since 1985.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “dgbomb/Shutterstock”