Energy efficiency and cutting energy bills is one of the most prevalent conversations amongst homeowners in Michigan throughout the year. In the summer everyone is concerned with ways to make their air conditioners perform better and run less in winter they are worried about their furnaces. There are so many different ways to make your home efficient. Below you will find a list of just a few ideas we have heard from our clients.
1) Control the temperature on your thermostat at all times of the day. When you aren’t at home and while you are sleeping the heat and air don’t need to be maxed out. A good sleeping temperature for any home is right around 68 degrees.
2) Insulate pipes throughout the house. This is true for the pipes that are under the sink, in the basement and pipes throughout the homes crawl space. Any pipe can be insulated with inexpensive foam coverings. This will help the heat loss in the winter and the sweat accumulation in the summer.
3) Air filters should be changed more frequently, keeping the dust down and the air flow filtering more efficiently. The better the airflow through the system the less it will cost you to run the system. Air filters are a lot less expensive than high energy bills.
4) Another tip is to install a damper in your fireplace. This keeps the air inside from filtering to the outside and vice versa.
5) One client insists on using candle light in the evening and dimmer switches to keep from wasting electricity. This is especially true in the winter when it is dark at five o clock. Of course you need to be extra careful with open flames at all times.
6) Make sure the seals on all windows, doors and door walls are correctly installed and that air is not leaking. Also in the winter you may choose to cover windows in plastic to keep the chilly air out.
7) Keep a pair of slippers at the door. Your feet allow a lot of heat to escape out of your body leaving you chilly. This will cause you to want to turn the heat up to get warm. Why not keep warm in the first place. Even a cheap pair of slippers will keep your feet warm.
8) Furnace tune ups and Air Conditioner maintenance yearly keep your appliances running at their peak. This also saves in furnace repair costs as well as repairs needed on central air conditioning units. Home heating contractors will make sure your appliances staying running at the top of their game throughout the changing seasons.
I know many people have great ways to save on heating and cooling bills and tips to keep Michigan homes running efficiently. Log in and leave a comment with your best energy efficient tips.