One thing everyone should be trying to do is to conserve energy around their home. For one, it can save you a lot of money on utility bills over the course of the year. Second, it helps the environment. Both should be important to you. Thankfully, saving energy around your home is easier than you may think. Below are a few suggestions.
Swap Out Your Light Bulbs
You should be aware of the fact that traditional incandescent light bulbs use a lot of energy. One step you could take to make your home greener is to swap out those old light bulbs for newer LED bulbs. According to the US Department of Energy, LED bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent light bulbs. This can make a huge difference. Fluorescent light tubes can also be replaced with more energy-efficient LED tubes.
Unplug Appliances
One thing you should be aware of is that many appliances and devices in your home actually continue drawing electricity while still plugged in. Such appliances are known as “energy vampires.” They can include things like televisions, computers, microwaves, DVD players, stereo systems, game consoles, and many other electronics you own. To save a lot of electricity, simply unplug these appliances when they’re not in use.
Check Your HVAC
If you want to keep your home both energy efficient and comfortable throughout the summer, you need to do what you can to properly maintain the air-conditioning and air-flow components of your HVAC system. While certain maintenance tasks such as replacing air filters can be done on your own, more complex repairs and maintenance should be performed by professionals. STA SO COOL HVAC provides such services for the Pittsburgh area.
Program Your Thermostat
One thing most people fail to do is program their thermostat. However, you may want to give your thermostat manual a read-through. Learning how to program your thermostat can have great benefits for your bottom line as well as your conservation efforts. You can, for example, program the heat and air conditioning to run far less when no one is in your home. This is a much more efficient system than having to only turn the temperature up and down manually.
This list is only a starting point. There is a lot more you can do to both save money and help the environment. However, better managing your HVAC system, unplugging appliances, and switching to more energy-efficient fixtures can make a big difference.
