Strategies to increase energy savings in your home change with the seasons. During winter, household energy consumption is more diverse as heating, water heating and cooking skew consumption toward natural gas. When summer arrives and air conditioners and fans crank up, however, it’s mostly electricity.
During the hottest months, cooling expenses can increase HVAC energy consumption from one-third to more than 50 percent of your home’s total energy usage. Slowing down that spinning electric meter poses challenges that are unique to the season. Here are some energy savings tips to help you keep your cool this summer:
- 78 degrees is the upper edge of the indoor comfort range for most people. Setting the thermostat at 78 degrees instead of 75 degrees can immediately deliver as much as 25 percent energy reduction while still keeping you comfortable.
- Install a programmable thermostat to fine-tune temperatures to match your household’s daily and hourly needs. Programmable thermostats execute temperature adjustments gradually and over a long time span—the most energy-efficient way.
- Use ceiling fans. Because air movement from a ceiling fan creates a mini-chill factor and makes a room feel about 4 degrees cooler, you can advance the thermostat even further to cut electrical consumption. Just remember to turn off the fans when you leave the room.
- Replace the air conditioner filter monthly throughout summer. If you don’t know how to do it yourself, ask your HVAC contractor.
- Unplug small electricity drainers. These so-called energy vampires, such as home entertainment equipment, computers and peripherals, suck electricity as long as they’re plugged, in even when they aren’t in use.
- Replace heat-generating incandescent light bulbs with cool, energy-conserving compact fluorescent bulbs.
- Use a dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes. Dishwashers use hot water more efficiently. Air dry dishes overnight.
- Don’t over-dry clothes. Clean the dryer lint filter after every load for optimum efficiency.
- Limit the swimming pool pump to six hours of operation a day. Keep skimmer baskets and pump strainer clean to maximize circulation.
In Sarasota, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch, Climatic Conditioning Co. is the source for cooling and heating efficiency and expertise. Contact us for still more strategies for energy savings all summer long.
