Routinely having your HVAC system cleaned and tuned up may elevate its performance and help lower your energy costs because an HVAC system that’s properly maintained can use much less energy than a system that is not. But what else should you do? We have more easy steps you can perform to increase your Lodi home’s energy efficiency.
- Seal any leaks around your windows and doors. Put on caulk or weatherstripping wherever you detect leaks.
- Insulate your walls and attic. You may equate insulation with keeping your home warm during the winter, but it also helps in the summer. When it’s hot outside, heat is continually seeking cooler places—like your home. Make sure you have enough insulation to keep the heat from moving through your attic and walls and decreasing your home comfort.
- Have your ducts cleaned. Clean ducts make it easier for air to flow through your home, which makes your air conditioner’s job smoother.
- While you’re at it, confirm your ducts are properly sealed to prevent air leaks and insulate them if needed. If the ducts are leaking, you are losing valuable heated or cooled air. Properly sealing and insulating ducts is even more critical if they are situated in the attic, a vented crawlspace or any other unconditioned area.
- Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. To help possibly keep your cooling bill cut down, keep the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures as small as possible. According to the Department of Energy, you can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling by just turning your thermostat back 7° to 10°F from its usual setting for 8 hours a day. If you turn on a ceiling fan in conjunction with your air conditioner, you can raise your thermostat setting by about 4°F without negatively affecting your comfort.
- Install a programmable thermostat. Sure, thermostats can be adjusted by hand, but programmable thermostats make managing your home comfort and efficiency simpler. You can automatically adjust your temperature when you’re away from home or when you’re sleeping while avoiding discomfort because your home’s temperature will return to normal before you get home or wake up.
- If you decide not to use a programmable thermostat, avoid setting your thermostat at a colder-than-usual setting when you turn on your air conditioner. Your house won’t cool down any faster and will only cost you additional money in energy.
- Don’t place lamps, TV sets or other heat-generating appliances near your thermostat. This practice can force your air conditioner to run longer than needed because your thermostat senses heat from these appliances and determines your home needs cooled.
- [Use|Utilize|Take advantage of]54] your windows. If it’s cooler at night, turn off your AC and open the windows. Shut the windows and your curtains or blinds in the morning to trap the cooler air and to prevent heat gain through the windows.
- Invest in new, energy-efficient equipment. If your HVAC equipment is more than 10 years old or not keeping up with your home-comfort needs, call Tokay Heating and Air Conditioning for a review. It may be time to replace it with ENERGY STAR®-qualified equipment that can cut your annual energy bill by more than $115, according to energystar.gov.
If you’ve got more questions about how to increase your home’s energy efficiency, think it could be time for more energy-efficient equipment or simply want to make a regular maintenance appointment, call Tokay Heating and Air Conditioning at 209-257-3156 and our experts will help.