Controlling energy costs may be essential for families with a tight budget. Others may want to reduce their carbon footprint. There are several ways to make a dent in your energy bill and make the best of the energy you consume. Knowing where there is more energy drain will help you get started. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, approximately 43% of home energy costs come from heating and cooling. Another 12% of energy costs come from heating water. Making modifications to these areas and changing your habits will help you make room efficiency in both cold and hot weather.
Increase room efficiency in cold weather
• Disconnect all electronics, including chargers, when not in use. Connect computers, televisions and stereos, power strips and turn off at night. Install motion-sensitive lighting.
• Insulate the house. Seal, seal or place insulation in gaps or cracks in walls, floors, basement, attic or ceiling. Window and door gaskets. Wrap the ducts when they leave the house with insulating sheets. Close and isolate spaces where utility lines and pipes run at home.
• Reduce the amount of hot water used by washing clothes in cold water, taking shorter showers and running the dishwasher only when it is full.
• Turn the thermostat down. Maintain the temperature between 60 and 68 degrees during the day and between 55 and 60 degrees at night. Heating system serviced before the heating season. Change filters and empty socket heaters, radiators or registers. Move all furniture or curtains away from heating sockets.
• Open the blinds and curtains on the day to let in the sun’s heat. Put shutter or double-glazed windows. Apply transparent plastic on windows and shrink with the hairdryer to block drafts. Place blockers project full of sand under doors.
Increase room efficiency in hot weather
• Turn the air conditioner temperature. Keep it only 10 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. Remember that the temperature falls outside at night, so adjust the air conditioner to 10 degrees below the low outside night.
• Increase the exterior shading of the house and in the windows. Install shade treatments to windows and living areas near the house such as terraces, balconies and patios. Solar window screens reduce the sun, which brings the heat to the home.
• Use fans instead of or together with the air conditioner to move the air. If you live in a dry climate, install evaporative cooling units.
• Place in a fan of the whole house to make use of the cold night air. Install in the attic and open the windows at night. The fan is drawn in the fresh air and force it out through vents in the attic.
