10 Ways to Improve Comfort and Energy Efficiency at Home
With the inevitable increase in utility costs, homeowners are looking for ways to reduce energy consumption and save money in the process. The Alliance to Save Energy® offers ten tips and tricks to save energy at home.
- Wash clothes in cold water to save $63 a year.
- Install a programmable thermostat to save up to 10% on cooling and heating costs.
- Use your window shades. Close blinds on the sunny side in summer to keep out the hot sun, and open them in winter to bring in warm rays.
- Turn off all lights, appliances and electronics not in use. A power strip can help turn off multiple items at once. (Sometimes the simplest things are really effective!)
- Change to new and improved light bulbs. Reduce energy use from about a third to as much as 80% with today’s increasing number of energy-efficient halogen incandescents, CFLs and LEDs.
- Look for the Energy Star label, the government’s symbol of energy efficiency, on a wide range of consumer products to save up to 30% on related electricity bills.
- Use low-flow faucets and shower heads to save on water bills.
- Clean or change filters regularly. A dirty furnance or A/C filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool.
- Reduce water heater temperature to 130° F to save energy and money on heating water; and wrap the water storage tank in a specially-designed “blanket” to retain the heat.
- Seal air leaks and properly insulate to save up to 20% on heating and cooling bills, while also increasing home comfort.
While some of the energy-saving tricks are simple, others—such as air sealing and insulation—may require an experienced contractor to properly test for air leaks, evaluate a home's energy performance, and make the necessary upgrades to achieve your desired results (maximizing comfort and lowering utility costs).
Dr. Energy Saver St. Louis improves comfort and energy efficiency with a home energy audit by testing and evaluating where your home uses energy efficiently (and where it needs improvement). As the ASE suggests, sealing air leaks makes your home much more comfortable and will save you money. Dr. Energy Saver offers such services and so much more: attic insulation, heating and cooling, tankless water heaters, basement air sealing, wall insulation, radiant barriers, and solar power.
Dr. Energy Saver serves the Greater St. Louis area, including Chesterfield, Saint Louis, Florrisant, Eureka, Ballwin, Bartelso, Smithton, Millstadt, Freeburg, Imperial, Saint Jacob, Trenton, and other surrounding areas!