Make Your Home More Energy Efficient This Summer

How can you make your home more energy efficient so that your family enjoys a comfortable home this summer while saving on energy costs? At Hamilton Plumbing Heating A/C Rooter, our Kansas City HVAC contractors have a few suggestions.

Set your thermostat higher, and invest in a programmable thermostat. When you’re going to be away for the day, set your thermostat up to 80 or 82 degrees. When at home, try to keep the thermostat set on 78 degrees. Avoid turning the temperature way down to 68 or 70 degrees when you come in, as it won’t cool your home down any quicker. Consider a programmable thermostat to further save on cooling costs.

Save chores that generate heat for early morning, or find alternative solutions. Using the oven, clothes dryer, or even a dishwasher or hair dryer can heat up your home. If you must use the oven or clothes dryer, do it early in the morning hours; better yet, hang clothes out to dry and grill outdoors. To further reduce energy use, have Energy Star appliances installed.

Seal up your home and make use of fans. Cracks or holes in or around windows and doors can let in a lot more hot air than you can imagine. Caulk or use weatherstripping to eliminate air leaks. Use ceiling fans to move the air around, which makes the air feel cooler to your skin. Fans don’t actually cool the air, but because they move it around you can enjoy comfortable air while raising the thermostat a few degrees with no noticeable difference.

Close blinds, shades, and curtains on windows that allow sunshine in. While the added heat is great in winter months, sunshine can really heat up your home in winter months, causing you to be less comfortable while your air conditioner runs more to keep the temperature consistent.

Raise the windows on comfortable evenings. When night time temperatures drop into the 50′s or 60′s, you may want to consider raising the windows at night to keep your home cool and comfy. Early in the morning before it heats up, close the windows and pull the curtains or blinds to keep the cool air in for as long as possible.

Make sure your air conditioner is in good shape. Do you have your cooling equipment inspected and maintained on a regular basis? You should! Regular maintenance helps ensure your A/C equipment is in good working order and running efficiently. Potential problems can be addressed before they become huge (and costly) headaches. Change your filter often, make sure the registers are in the open with no furniture or other objects blocking them. It’s also important that your HVAC system is properly sized for your home, as a system that is either too small or too large compromises your comfort and results in higher energy costs.

Keeping cooling costs down this summer really is simple, with just a little effort from homeowners. Searching for Kansas City HVAC companies or have other questions about energy efficiency, programmable thermostats, or other related topics? Give Hamilton Plumbing Heating A/C Rooter a call at (913) 227-4943 or schedule your service online today.