Saving energy during summer benefits homeowners by lowering energy bills and helping the environment. While we all look forward to those warm summer months, it can be a summertime buzz kill when we see those increased electric bills. In the summer, your A/C works overtime, you take more showers and overall, the amount of energy you’re using compared to the rest of the year increases substantially. Instead of cranking down the A/C each day in an effort to cool off, try these top 5 energy saving tips to get you through the summer without burning a hole in your wallet or killing the environment.
Ceiling Fans
Using ceiling fans can cool down the rooms in your house by up 10 degrees. This will use up much less energy and be much easier on the wallet than using your A/C unit. Spend more time with the A/C unit set at a more moderate temperature, using the ceiling fan to cool you down, and watch your electric bills drop. Set the fan counterclockwise to push the warm air down and pull the cool air from the bottom up.
Programmable Thermostat
Investing in a programmable thermostat and using it the right way will save a lot of wasted energy this summer. Set the thermostat so it’s cooling you down while home but set at 78 degrees while you’re not. There’s no need for the cool air to be cranking while your family is out of the house.
Seal Leaks
Block the cold air you’re paying for from escaping your home by ensuring there’s proper sealing and caulking all throughout your home. Check the pipes, vents and connections to make sure there are no cracks, which are contributing to wasted energy by allowing your hard-earned cold air to leave the house you’re trying to cool down. To find out whether or not your air is escaping through leaks, get a home energy audit done and fix accordingly.
Use Grill More Often Than Oven
By using the grill outside during the warm summer months, you not only provide delicious grilled meals for your family but you lower your energy bills as well. By using the oven less during the summer, you’re using less energy and keeping the heat the oven generates out of the kitchen. Your A/C has to work overtime to compensate for that heat, so lay off the oven for a few months. If you need to bake, do it in the morning hours when the temperature outside is cooler.
Replace A/C Unit
Replacing your A/C unit might be an added expense upfront, but it will save you money in energy bills in the long-run. Shop for new units that work more efficiently than your outdated A/C unit, such as energy approved units that will cost less money to run.
Center Island Contracting is your contractor of choice for new home buyers or those undergoing home renovations on the north shore of Nassau county, Long Island. Our qualified professional new home construction management team is here to help you build the new home of your dreams. With the knowledge about local and New York State laws, our staff can answer all your questions and streamline the entire process. Email us or call (631) 465-9765.
