Basic Energy Saving Tips

energy saving helpWith summer just around the corner, the likelihood of your energy bills going up the ceiling is very high. Taking the right measures to ensure your home is energy efficient can however help lower some of these bills significantly. Making your home/office energy efficient starts with the small things commonly taken for granted such as turning off appliances that aren’t in use, ensuring the house is adequately insulated, and weather-stripping your garage door. Outlined below are a few simple tips to help improve energy efficiency in your home.

1. Have the air conditioner serviced
Much of your energy bills are related to heating and ventilation. While investing in a newer, more energy-efficient HVAC system may help cut down heating and cooling bills significantly, having your current HVAC system serviced regularly and well maintained can make all the difference. One of the best ways to ensure the air conditioner is working in its optimal capacity (without using too much power) is by having a certified and experienced technician service them at least twice per year.

2. Invest in energy-star rated appliances
Electrical appliances use lots of electricity per day. This ranges from your refrigerator, TV sets, stereo systems, and HVAC systems among many others. Investing in the most energy efficient electrical appliances in your house can help lower energy bills significantly. Consider replacing that dishwasher/washing machine you’ve been using for the past decade with a newer energy-star rated one. The best energy-star rated appliances use 50% less energy as compared to conventional ones used more than ten years ago.

3. Keep your house well insulated
Proper insulation is needed to keep the heat out (during summer), or in (during winter). Unless your home is properly insulated, you’ll then have to deal with heat gain/loss, which could affect heating and ventilation significantly. Nevertheless, making sure every part of the house is properly insulated can help save energy in the process. Be sure to check the attic, basement, and the garage for proper and adequate insulation to lower the bills farther.

4. Use energy efficient light bulbs
Light bulbs too use up lots of energy. Switching from incandescent bulbs to either energy saving fluorescents or LEDs should help cut down energy bills by more than 40%. LED light fixtures are mostly recommended for they not only last longer, but also use very little energy to produce the same light intensity as incandescent.

These are just but a few ways to cut down on energy bills. Other ways to make your home more energy efficient include taking advantage of sunlight, buy opening windows in the morning, using ceiling fans, bathroom fans, and installing programmable thermostats. For the best use a professional service such as Electrician Geelong.