Increasing your home’s energy efficiency may not be out of your reach, regardless of your budget. Even the smallest efforts you make on a room-by-room lower the amount you use, leaving more money in your pocket.
Overall Improvements
Look for air leaks around windows and exterior doors and seal with caulk or fresh weatherstripping.
Identify areas in the attic where insulation is lacking and add more.
Make a note to check the air filter for the HVAC system when it’s running often. Dirty filters increase energy bills and shorten the life of HVAC systems.
Living Areas
As you upgrade your home’s electronics and entertainment system, choose Energy Star-rated models.
Install reversible ceiling fans to use summer and winter for greater comfort. A fan increases comfort in the summer and when reversed, will actually warm the room in the winter.
Kitchen
Use the ventilation fan in the summer to remove heat while cooking.
Turn to the microwave and slow cookers during exceptionally hot weather. They use less energy and emit less heat than using the stove or oven.
Run full loads in the dishwasher and let them air dry instead of using the dry cycle.
Bathrooms
Run the ventilation fans when bathing during the summer to remove hot, humid air.
Replace old or leaking faucets with WaterSense fixtures that use much less water.
Turn the water heater down to 120 degrees F. Not only does it increase water heating energy efficiency, it also reduces the risk of scalding and extends the life of the water heater.
Bedrooms
Whenever the HVAC system is running, make sure the windows are locked to prevent air infiltration.
Use ceiling or floor fans to lower the “feels like” temperature when sleeping.
Install shade screens on south- or west-facing windows that receive direct sunlight.
Use smart power strips or surge protectors that turn off when it detects the devices are idle.
Taking steps to increase energy efficiency at home reduces your monthly overhead and often increases indoor comfort. For more information, contact Air Assurance, providing HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners.
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). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.