Keeping Your Home Energy-Smart; Small Tips to Keep in Mind this Fall
As the cool weather makes its way toward New England this coming fall, typical energy usage rises with the drop-in temperature. This doesn’t have to be the case! With just some simple, in-home checkups, such small tips can make a world of difference when it comes to keeping your home warm, cozy and low on energy usage.
Take Advantage of Natural Heat
The sun is a great way to naturally heat your home (and it’s free!). Let the sun help heat your home by opening curtains on south-facing windows during the day. Don’t forget to close them around dusk, as temperatures can drop at night and work in opposition to keeping your home warm.
Search Around for Any Cracks and Leaks
Large cracks around your doors and windows can not only let cold air in but can allow the heat that you’re paying for to escape! In order to prevent your heating system (and your energy bill) from working overtime, check those windows and doors and make sure they’re properly sealed! If they aren’t, add weather stripping or caulk to seal in the gaps and keep the cold air outside.
Moderate Your Home’s Temperature
While you’re at home and awake, make sure to keep your home heated as low as comfortably possible. That’s typically a nice 68 degrees. This way, your HVAC system will have less work to do, and so will your energy bill. Then while you’re getting a good night’s sleep, or you’re out and about, set your thermostat back 7-10 degrees. This can save up to 10% of your total heating costs, keeping both you and your money comfortable. Getting a thermostat that you can control remotely through your phone is highly recommended, as temperature control becomes so much easier to manage. If you don’t have a phone, a programmable heating system will do the trick as well.
Replace That HVAC Filter
A super simple, yet forgettable step is to make sure to check your HVAC filter once a month to reduce the strain you put on your heating and cooling systems. Lots of dust, allergens and dirt can get stuck up there, restricting airflow and increasing your energy bill. Keep that filter clean so your system can operate efficiently.
Check in on Your Home’s Fireplace
Even though your fireplace is meant to keep you warm, it can be a big place for cold air to creep its way into your home. When you and your family aren’t cozied around the fireplace, make sure that you keep your damper closed, both to prevent air from coming in, and to contain the warm air you have created in your fireplace inside.
Investing in some energy-efficient grates will also help keep your home energy efficient. These grates push warm air toward you while bringing the cool air into the fireplace. You can find these in stores like Home Depot, or through online shopping websites like Amazon.
Home Energy Assessment
Following tips like these will help your home tremendously, but want to do something even better? Let the pros take care of it for you. Revise, a Mass Save partner, makes it quick and easy to do a no-cost virtual home energy assessment, to make sure your house can become the most energy-efficient it can possibly be. Revise is even offering 75% of insulation services that could arise through your assessment; just in time for the upcoming winter weather. Now, you can make your home more energy efficient, at a great low cost. With a great deal and a great price — it’s one bargain you shouldn’t pass up.
