5 Energy Upgrades That Can Save You Money

Getting tired of throwing money away into large energy bills? Yeah we thought so. Houston A/C systems nearly have to run 24/7 to keep families cool throughout the humid summers and mild winters.

If you are interested in seeing how you can lower your energy bill, then take a few minutes to consider these 5 energy upgrades for your home:

1. Home Energy Audit. An energy audit is an assessment of the energy usage in your home by a certified Home Energy Professional. An auditor will examine each room carefully with various instruments to gauge any areas where your home is inefficient with energy and thus where you’re losing money. The auditor may also review past bills to help inform the assessment. The audit will help you to locate any problematic areas in your home and give you recommendations for improvement to save money on your energy costs. Many of these adjustments you may be able to complete on your own!
2. Seal and Insulate Your Home. An auditor has a blower test tool that identifies any area where air is leaking from your home. Air loss is a huge source of energy loss. A crack in the window, a leaky air duct, or a poorly sealed door can really put a dent in your energy bills throughout the year. Be sure to take care of any leaking spots the auditor points out. Doing it yourself? Check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) DIY tips for sealing your home.

   If your home is well sealed but poorly insulated, your central air system is going to have to work harder to keep your home a comfortable temperature, wasting both energy and money. Insulating your home is fairly easy and cheap to do yourself!

3. Adjust Your Thermostat. Most of the energy that your home uses (at least in humid Houston) goes to cooling your home. So, if your central air system is constantly running, your energy bills will be through the roof. The best energy saver for your thermostat is to adjust the temperature in your home by just a few degrees when no one is home during the day or when everyone is sleeping and won’t notice the slight degree change. Programmable thermostats are great tools to aid in saving money.

   Want more info? Check out these common money-wasting mistakes that you make with your thermostat.

4. Reset Your Water Heater Thermostat. Just like with your central air system thermostat, your water heater thermostat is set at a certain temperature, and it will use a lot of energy as it cycles on and off to maintain the set temperature. Try bumping the temperature on your water heater thermostat down just a few degrees. It’s likely that no one in your home will even notice the difference until you start to see a change for the better on your energy bills.
5. Replace Old Appliances. Appliances are another big energy user in your home, and many new appliances are designed to save on energy. For example, the DOE says that an ENERGY STAR® refrigerator can save you up to $150 per year depending on your old model. Other appliances that come in energy-saving models include washers, dryers, freezers, and dishwashers.

One good thing to keep in mind when making these adjustments to your home is that it may take a while before the full effects of your improvements show on your energy bill. Give these improvements some time, and you’ll be glad you put in the time and effort!

To learn more about thermostats, air ducts and central cooling systems, check out our blog and knowledge center.

To help you save money on heating and cooling costs, contact our Houston-area HVAC professionals today we’ll be glad to help in any way we can.