You may know what energy conservation is, but have you ever stopped to consider why energy conservation is important? The reality is that there are many reasons why conserving energy is significant to our lives. First of all, saving energy is important because energy use affects the environment and everyone in it. Second, when you conserve energy you also save on the cost of living.
Key Considerations
Never close or obstruct with furniture more than 20% of your home’s registers or return air ducts. This places additional strain on the system, making it work harder and less efficiently, so it will use more energy.
Make sure your air filters are clean.
Have your thermostat located on an inside wall away from outside doors, windows, and registers. Turn your thermostat switch to “Auto.”
Make sure your home is properly insulated.
Eliminate air loss around doors and windows, by sealing any obvious cracks, or replacing with new energy-efficient windows and doors.
In the summer, set your thermostat as high as comfort will permit. Close window coverings in the summer to prevent the ambient temperature increasing during the heat of the day.
In the winter, set your thermostat as low as comfort will permit. Close window coverings in the winter to prevent heat loss at night.
Programmable and/or WiFi capable thermostats can help in controlling the temperature when you are not home or when you want the system to automatically raise and lower the temperature to accommodate your lifestyle.
Close the damper of your fireplace when not in use, to prevent cold air from entering from the chimney.
Maintain your water heater temperature between 115F and 120F.
Keep your existing equipment operating efficiently with proper annual maintenance.
New equipment is available with energy conservation and efficiency in mind. If you have an old heating system or water heater, you may want to see what your energy savings could be, by replacing your existing equipment with new energy efficient equipment. Many of the new heating/cooling systems can reduce your energy usage by 20% to 50%.
While these maintenance procedures outlined within are manageable by homeowners, we recommend that they be performed by licensed HVAC contractors, who also run diagnostic tests to ensure that the system is operating optimally.
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