Spring Energy Saving Tips

There are many ways to use your appliances less and save more money during the spring using simple energy saving tips.

As the weather warms up your home will as well while your appliances work hard to keep you cool. There are many small adjustments you can make to your home and to your daily habits to save on energy and money. An energy audit is a great way to find where the most improvement can be made, but it isn`t always necessary. Some common sense and simple energy saving tips you can find online will often do the trick. Here are some of the easiest ways for you to save money on energy this spring season.

Use your thermostat efficiently

One of the most simple and effective energy saving tips is using your thermostat efficiently. This means setting your temperature as high as you can while remaining comfortable during the spring and summer. The closer your home`s temperature is to the outdoor temperature, the lower your energy spending. Additionally, raising the temperature when you leave your home will lower the amount of energy that was wasted on cooling the home while it is unoccupied.

Cool down your home by using your windows instead of your AC

Although it may be hot outside during the day, when the sun sets the temperature dramatically cools down. Take advantage of the cool temperatures at night by turning off your AC and cracking open a window before bed. When you wake up, you can close the windows and you now have a cool atmosphere in your home. Window coverings can be used to keep cool air in and hot air out during the day.

Maintain the efficiency of your cooling system

Regular maintenance of your cooling equipment is necessary to keep it running efficiently. Scheduling an annual maintenance appointment with a professional HVAC technician is quite simple and is typically included in the price of HVAC equipment rental. Your thermostat`s placement can greatly affect your heating and cooling system. You should avoid placing your thermostat near a television, lamp, or any other electronic device which produces heat. When this common error is made it results in the thermostat working harder than necessary and wasting energy. All air vents should be vacuumed on a regular basis to remove excess dust. To add on, air vents should not be blocked by any furniture as this will obstruct airflow.

Fans and ventilation can be used to achieve a cool atmosphere as well

Simultaneously using an air conditioner and a ceiling fan allows you to raise the temperature while maintaining the same level of comfort. You can raise the temperature by 2.22 degrees Celsius without any change in your comfort level. Energy Star certified ceiling fans are those which provide the greatest energy savings. A common misunderstanding about ceiling fans is that they cool the room which they are in. The purpose of a ceiling fan is to cool the people occupying the room, not the room itself. Therefore, when a room is not occupied a ceiling fan has no purpose. Turn off the ceiling fan when exiting the room.

When taking a bath or shower the bathroom fan can be used to remove heat and humidity from the room. These types of fans should also be used in the kitchen and laundry room while running appliances which produce heat. Your kitchen and laundry room fans should ventilate to the exterior of your home, not to your attic.

Avoid heating your home with lighting and appliances

There are many energy saving tips which relate to when to use which appliances. For example, on hot spring and summer days you should avoid the use of your oven. Instead, cook on the grill outdoors, on the stove, or use a microwave oven. Any option other than the oven is best for energy savings during warm days.

Energy efficient lighting is another great way to save energy. Incandescent light bulbs are incredibly inefficient.  Only 10-15% of their energy usage is converted into light, the rest of it is wasted and produces heat. LED light bulbs are the vastly superior alternative to incandescent lights.

Even then, the most cost friendly light source is natural daylight. Use natural daylight whenever you can, but it is best to avoid direct sunlight as this can damage furniture overtime and can heat your home.

The dishwasher and washing machine should only be used when washing full loads. It is a waste of energy to wash multiple loads when they could have been combined into one if you had just waited a bit longer. The use of a drying machine can be avoided as the summer weather allows for air drying outdoors.

Virtually all electronics produce heat, whether it be a computer, speaker system, hair dryer, dishwasher, etc. Keeping the use of these devices to a minimum will result in a cooler household as well as energy savings.

Reduce your home`s water heating expense

The water heater is one of your home`s major users of energy. Water heating can amount to as much as 20% of your energy usage. When it`s warm outside you should adjust the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting, which is 49 degrees Celsius or 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Keep the heat outdoors and the cool air indoors

Air leakage can be an energy waste problem during all seasons of the year. Luckily, there are many energy saving tips which can reduce your home`s cool air leakage. Leakage can be avoided by sealing cracks and openings in windows and doors. This can be done by using caulking or weatherstripping around the leaking areas.

We hope that these simple energy saving tips will help your household become energy efficient as well as cost efficient during this spring season. By preparing for the season you will be able to enjoy the wonderful weather as the snow has melted and keep your energy cost worries to a minimum.