Energy Efficiency Tips for the Spring
Spring has officially sprung, and if you’re in the South, so has the pollen!
As the temperature begins to rise, your energy costs also increase. Before the hot summer months arrive, consider installing a programmable thermostat to help you manage energy usage, especially when you’re not home. Program your thermostat higher when you’re away to save energy, and program your thermostat to cool down to a comfortable temperature when you’re on your way home. There are a lot of great smart thermostats on the market now, but our favorites are Ecobee, Nest and Schneider. All three thermostats learn your behavior and adjust accordingly. Honeywell also has a great selection of programmable thermostats to fit all lifestyles and price points.
As you’re doing your annual spring cleaning, consider replacing burnt out light bulbs with LED bulbs. Verbatim and Philips both make great bulbs to put in lamps around the house. These bulbs offer over 80% reduction in energy costs compared to an incandescent bulb. The warm, white light will look the same as your incandescent bulb, but save energy. These bulbs have about 25,000 hours of life – that’s 22.8 years!
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Maybe you’re staying inside to escape the yellow dust...or maybe the April showers leave you no choice...Either way, use this time inside to focus on your making sure your home is in peak energy efficiency mode this spring. |
Something people often forget is that energy is consumed when certain things are plugged in. For example, a tool that is left plugged in to charge, stand-up fans that are left on during the day and even your electric toothbrush. Adding a Belkin Conserve Socket to some of your outlets around the home can help you save energy. The socket has a timer for half an hour, three hours or six hours, so you can keep your devices charged but won’t be wasting energy with a constant flow after the device has reached a full charge. According to Belkin, at any one time in a typical American household, there may be up to 40 devices drawing constant power. This can average up to $100 per year in additional energy costs. Taking a quick inventory of the devices you have plugged in all day that require energy and adding a Belkin Conserve Socket to the outlets with those devices can help you save money.
Adding energy efficient devices isn’t the only way to save money this spring. Here are some other tips you can do around the house to make sure your home is in prime energy efficient condition:
- Check the attic and crawl space to ensure proper and adequate insulation
- Set ceiling fans to run counterclockwise to help cool rooms
- Ensure air conditioning vents are unobstructed and opened to full capacity
- Have air conditioning unit serviced to ensure it’s working efficiently
- Put up awnings or other shading devices to prevent heat from entering sun-facing windows
- Have duct system inspected and repaired if necessary
Now that you’ve prepared your home for the Spring season, get outside and enjoy. Stay hydrated, and don’t forget your Yeti!
