Summer Energy Savings Tips!

Summer is always wonderful... Until you see your energy bill!

The majority of American households see a spike in their energy consumption during the summer months. This is primarily do to increased use of air conditioning (A/C) this time of year. Now we know you don't want to be hot and miserable all summer long, but you dont want to be spending so much on outrageous energy bills either. Don't worry, we have a some tips and tricks to help you save energy while keeping your home cool and comfortable this summer.

Let Your Home Breathe-

By this we mean, on cool days turn off your A/C and open the windows in your home. This will help to cool down your home without using all the energy an A/C unit requires. Not to mention it will circulate some fresh air through your home too.

Change your Air Filter-

With the summer heat you will most likely be running your A/C more often. This means your HVAC system will be pulling a lot more air through it, and will be needing its filter changed more often. The more air going through the filter means the more dust, and dirt it will be picking up. If the filter becomes clogged it will put a lot of strain on your HVAC system causing it to use more energy! This strain can actually cause your HVAC system to break down, which can cost an arm and a leg to fix or replace. Energy companies recommend replacing your air filters once a month, especially during months where you are using your A/C or Heat a lot.

Keep Appliances Away From Your Thermostat-

Many appliances in your home (ie. lamps, tvs, computers, coffee makers, etc) give off heat when they are on. When these appliances are close to your thermostat, that heat can sometimes trick the thermostat into thinking it is hotter than it should be causing it to kick on the A/C when it is not needed. Thus using more energy when it does not need too.

Don't Use Your Oven- 

At least not on hot days. With how hot an oven can get and how long it needs to stay on, your oven will actually cause the temperature inside your home to increase. Instead of your oven, try using your outdoor grill and/or a microwave instead. These appliances can do almost everything your oven can while using less energy and not causing any temperature spikes inside your home.

Strategically Landscape Your Yard-

Not our simplest tip we know, but planting shade trees in strategic parts of your yard can actually help you to save energy. These trees will help to block the direct rays from the sun that can cause your home to heat up more than it should, making you use more energy to cool it back down. Privacy bushes by windows that get hit with direct sunlight can help too.

Use LED Lights-

LED bulbs give off a fraction of the heat incandescent bulbs do. As we mentioned before this extra heat can cause your A/C to turn on prematurely, costing you energy and money. By installing LED bulbs around your home you won't have to worry about that anymore. You'll also get the added benefits of LED bulbs being way more energy efficient, and lasting much longer than any other bulb.

Program Your Thermostat Correctly-

Programing your homes thermostat will help it to regulate the temperatures in your home throughout the day.  If done correctly it should help you to save on energy during the hot and cold months of the year. Some thermostats can be tricky to set however, so be sure to read their instructions if you still have it. You can also upgrade to a Nest Learning Thermostat to make things easy. The Nest Learning Thermostat is the first thermostat to be ENERGY STAR certified. It will learn what temperature you prefer and builds an energy efficient schedule around them. You can also access your nest thermostat from anywhere via your phone.

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