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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5 Tips for Summer Energy Saving!

Summer is a fun time of year but it's high temperatures often leads to higher energy bills. Learn to save energy during these hot months by following these 5 quick and easy tips!

1.) Change Your Air Filters- 

With your A/C running more frequently do to the summer heat, it becomes more important to check and replace your dirty air filters more often. Energy companies recommend checking and replacing your air filters once a month, especially in the summer months.  After a month your air filter will have filled up with all the dirt and dust  that has been blowing through it. Once this happens your system will have to work harder to continue to pull air through it, using more energy.

2.) Replace Your Outdoor Lights with LED Bulbs-

Summer time often leads to more backyard outdoor activities.  Whether it's the neighborhood BBQ or a pool party, a lot of these activities can stretch into the twilight hours.  To save energy but still keep everything well lit, look into investing in LED bulbs for outside your home.  LED bulbs traditionally use 25%-80% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, while giving off more light. Not just that but they last up to 25 times longer too!

If saving energy is your end game it would be a good idea to look into replacing all your homes lights with LED bulbs.

3.) Use a Clothesline to Dry Your Laundry-

On a beautiful summer day why not air dry your laundry on a clothes line.  Your dryer can use a lot of energy to dry your clothes, even more if you haven't cleaned the dryer vent recently. So when its nice outside simply hang up your laundry to dry.  Not only will this help you save energy, but it will help air out your laundry leaving it with a nice fresh air scent.

4.) Use Your BBQ Grill to Cook-

Cooking a meal in your kitchen can use a lot of your homes energy.  From using the stove, oven, and even the opening and closing of your refrigerator you can add a lot to your energy bill. So during the summer to save energy, try using your grill to cook as many meals as possible. You can cook almost anything on a grill and it uses much less energy to do so. 

5.) Set Your Thermostat to 78 Degrees or Higher-

As mentioned before with the summer your A/C will be running much more often.  To avoid over using your A/C, most energy companies recommend setting your thermostat to the highest temperature that is still comfortable for you and your family.  Usually 78 degrees or higher. To help you with this we recommend getting a Nest Learning Thermostat. The Nest Learning Thermostat learns and programs itself based on your habits and automatically helps save energy. Plus you can control it using your phone, tablet or laptop even when you are not home.

To learn more about how we can help you save energy visit joefilter.com today!

10 Steps to a Healthy Happy Home!

Having a happy healthy home should be the goal of every homeowner and renter. The question now is how does one go about maintaining a healthy happy home?

The answer? Preventive maintenance, or as we like to call it Healthy Home Services. This includes but is not limited to changing air filters, cleaning your grill, dryer vent, air ducts and definitely replacing your water filters, and smoke detector batteries.

Here are 10 steps to a happy healthy home!

Step 1: Replace your air filters every month! This will help keep your indoor air clean and prevents your HVAC system from wasting energy trying to pull air through a dirty filter.

Step 2:  Clean out your vacuum every couple weeks or at least once a month.  Your vacuum takes care of some of the dirtiest jobs your home has to offer.  Keeping it clean will help make sure it keeps doing its job to the best of its ability.

Step 3: Change/replace any burnt out light bulb. This should go without saying since no one like tripping and falling or stubbing their toe because the lights don't work.

Step 4: Top off your water softener salt. Having soft water prevent scale build up in your hames plumbing and it is good for your hair and skin.

Step 5: Change your water filters. Most of the more common home water filter systems like fridge filters and RO systems are recommended to have their filters replaced every 6 months. Doing this prevents the filters from leaching and helps ensure your water stays healthy and clean.

Step 6: Change out the batteries in your smoke detectors every 6 months.  Not only is this recommended by the fire department to help avoid a tragedy, but it will also help prevent those annoying low battery beeps at 2am.

Step 7: Clean your dryer vent. A dirty dryer vent is an energy drain and a fire hazard. That is why the fire department recommends cleaning it at least once a year.

Step 8: Keep your grill clean. Keeping your grill clean by quickly cleaning after every use and by doing at least 1 deep clean a year. This can help to extend the life of your grill and keep it grilling in tip top shape. Plus nobody wants to see their burger coming off a nasty dirty grill!

Step 9: Have your air ducts cleaned. Most homeowners are unaware that the EPA reports air pollution levels inside our homes can be 2 to 5 times higher than outside. An air duct cleaning is one of the most effective ways to improve air quality.

Step 10: Install a Nest Learning Thermostat. The Nest Learning Thermostat learns what temperatures you like, turns itself down when you’re away and connects to your phone. This will help you save energy and will send you safety alerts to your phone even if you are not home!

Need help checking these steps off your Honey-do list? Visit joefilter.com or give us a call at (480) 813-9494!
Keep your home happy and healthy by putting it on Joe Filter Autopilot today!

8 Energy Saving Tips for Renters

Trying to save energy is a struggle that the majority of us face.  It can be even more of a struggle for those of us that do not own our own place.  When you are renting usually you have to work with whatever appliances and tools they give you.  This usually means older thermostats, incandescent light bulbs, and out dated washer and dryer models. Sometimes you get lucky and find a place with newer models, but for times you don't there are a few other tricks and tips you can do to save energy.

Energy saving tips for renters-

1. Turn out the lights.  -  This tip is fairly straightforward. Don't leave lights on in rooms if you are not in them. Just don't do it.
2. Wash your clothes in cold water.  -  This is of course only if you have an in home washer. Washers waste more energy using hot water than just running the the motor.  Remember to check the clothes you are washing because some are not supposed to be washed in cold water.
3. Use LED or CFL light bulbs.  -  Get rid of the old incandescent light bulbs and replace them with energy saving LED bulbs or at very least CFLs.  They will save you upwards of 75% more energy than incandescent bulbs.
4. Adjust your thermostat.  -  If you do not have a smart or programmable thermostat be sure to adjust your thermostat when leaving for a while.  (Turn up the temperature in the summer and turn down the temperature in the winter.)
5. Open your windows.  -  On cooler summer days turn off the A/C and open all your windows.  Not only will this save you energy but it will air out your home and let in some fresh air.
6. Purchase blackout curtains.  -  Blackout curtains are an excellent buy for rooms that have windows directly facing the sun.  When the sun beats down through windows it can raise the temperature in the room.  Blackout curtains will block the sun's rays and heat from coming through, keeping the room nice and cool.
7. Use surge protector power strips.  -  
   
   Not only will this help protect your devices from electrical surges, but it also allows you to turn off the power to all your devices/appliances at once. Some devices like TVs never fully turn off unless they're unplugged.  Instead they are put in standby mode so that they can react quickly when you use the remote control.  These are known as "energy vampires" because they continue to suck up energy even after you turn them "off".
8. Air dry your laundry.  -  Your clothes dryer takes a lot of energy to run.  If you have the room try setting your clothes out to dry on a rack or clothes line.  If you do this outside your closes should gain a nice fresh air smell.

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LED Bulbs Save You Time, Energy and MONEY?!

What light bulbs are today's most energy efficient and rapidly developing lighting technology on the market.  The answer is LED bulbs! These bulbs are saving people time and money all over the world.  Like most energy saving items their initial investment is higher than their less efficient counterparts. However, LED bulbs make up for this by paying for themselves within a year, with the money you save on your energy bills.

According to energy.gov LED bulbs use more than 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs.  This is because LED bulbs emit very little heat whereas their counterparts release 80 to 90 percent of their energy as heat.  Being so energy efficient allows LED bulbs to have a lifespan of around 25,000 hours. That roughly adds up to a lifespan of three years running 24/7, which is about 25 times longer than traditional light bulbs. Which allows you to save time and money on replacing burnt out bulbs.

Another great aspect of LED bulbs are that they come in every shape and size imaginable.  From standard bulbs to flood lights, rope lights, headlights, night lights, even holiday decorations and more!  They can save you money and energy no matter the time of year or project your working on. LED lights also contain no mercury and have the smallest environmental impact compared to more traditional bulbs when thrown away.

So next time you get your energy bill or one of your lights burns out think about investing in LED lights instead.  Be warned though once you switch you might start to notice an abundance of money growing in your bank account...

Have lights you can't reach to replace with LED bulbs or do you just not want to risk getting on a ladder? Give Joe Filter a call and we will take care of it! (480) 813-9494

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Holiday Energy Savings

Amidst all the fun of the holidays we tend to forget about the importance of energy savings. Everyone is flying in to see friends and family, setting up for holiday parties, or decorating their home to be so bright you can almost see it from space. Wouldn't it be great to save some energy as well? Thankfully there are a few ways to save energy during the holidays without ruining your holiday fun.  Plus with energy savings comes financial savings, and who couldn't use a little extra cash around the holidays?

Here are some tips for energy savings during the holidays:

1. Put Your Lights on a Timer- Set your holiday lights on a timer so they are on no longer than 6 to 8 hours. This way you won't need to worry about turning them on when it gets dark or off before bed, saving you time and energy.
2. Switch to LED Holiday Lights-  According to energy.gov LED lights use at least 75% less energy than other lights. This can result in huge savings over the holiday season.
3. Turn Down the Thermostat for Parties- When you know you are having a lot of guests over for a holiday party turn  the thermostat down just prior to the start of the party.  The body warmth of all your guests should be enough to keep your home temperature comfortable while saving you energy.
4. Use a Cooler- If you are having holiday guests put all the beverages (soda, beer, water, etc) in a cooler for your guests.  This will limit the amount of times you refrigerator is open and closed which will save you on energy expenditures.
5. Unplug When Not in Use-  When it is light outside you do not need to have your lights plugged in.  Same goes for when you go to sleep, make sure you turn off all your decorations and unplug the ones you can.
6. Candles Make Great Decorations- Candles are great for creating a seasonal atmosphere.  Many give off pleasant smelling holiday aromas and the flickering lights give off a wonderful holiday glow. The best part of all they do not take up any electricity! Be careful however and remember not to leave them lit when you leave the room.
7. Not Everything has to Light Up-  Not all your holiday decoration need to have lights on them.  Use the traditional approach and buy organic wreaths and garland made of evergreen, rather than the fake ones you plug into the wall.

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Energy Saving Tips

Right in your own home you have the power to save money, while at the same time conserving energy... 

By taking a few simple steps, you can help to reduce the nation's overall energy demand and put more money back in your pocket. If you decide to make larger energy saving investments such as solar panels and geothermal coils, the savings you will accrue will overtime pay for the cost of the improvement.  If you don't have the time or money to make these large home investments here are a simple tips on how you can save energy around your home.

• Change out air filters monthly. 

• Install a programmable thermostat to lower utility bills and manage your heating and cooling systems efficiently.

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or LEDs.

• Turn off lights and other electronics when leaving the room.

• Take short showers instead of baths and use low-flow showerheads for additional energy savings.

• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.

• Have dryer vents professionally cleaned.

• Close blinds in the summer and open them in the winter.

• Have your air ducts inspected and cleaned.

• Cook outside on your grill more.

• Use a power strip for electric appliances that you can turn on and off.

Joe Filter can help you out with several things on this list.  For more information on how you can save energy contact your local energy provider.

Simple Spring Cleaning Tips

Annual spring cleaning is not just about tidying up, its also about improving your health by maintaining important healthy home maintenance items.   

Number 1: Fresh Air Filter

Replacing your dirty, polluted air filter should be on the top of your spring cleaning list. Its about that time of year when we start turning our HVAC systems on to circulate the spring air. Replacing your air filter is important because leaving that dirty air filter installed reduces the quality of your indoor air. Replace your air filters with a fresh air filter to improve the quality of your indoor air. See our tips on replacing your air filters.

Number 2: Replace Your Batteries

Only working smoke detectors save lives. Replace your smoke detector batteries during your annual spring cleaning. Smoke Detector Battery Tips

Number 3: Dust Your Light Bulbs

The dust on your light bulb heats up when lit. Sometimes that dust when heated can give off an unpleasant smell. Don't forget to dust your light bulbs.

Number 4: Clean Your Vacuum

Take the time to clean your vacuum, its worked very hard and deserves some TLC. doityourself.com

Number 5: Keep Air Circulating

When you are knee deep in scrubbing with harsh chemicals, remember its important to circulate your indoor air by opening a window, turning on exhausts fans, or turning your HVAC system fan on. See our post on scenting your air filters to give your circulated air a great scent!