Saving money on heating your home is important, but you are hardly out of luck with cooling costs during the summer. If you live in a very warm area, cooling your home could be your biggest expense. A few easy steps can significantly reduce that bill every summer.
If you are looking at window air conditioning units buy what you need. Just because you buy a larger size doesn’t mean you’ll save money. You should consider the size of the room, how many windows there are and what direction the room faces. But ultimately the size is the most important, a bigger unit will work harder unnecessarily and your cooling costs will rise.
If you are looking for central air make sure that one you purchase has high efficiency numbers. There are two efficiency numbers the SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) and the EER (energy efficiency ratio). The SEER should be at least 13 and the EER should be at least 11. This indicates a high efficiency air conditioning unity and will pay for the higher cost with a lower bill.
Now that you have a great cooling system, be sure to keep it properly maintained. Replace the filter monthly if you are using it regularly, and have a professionally service it before the cooling season begins every year. A poorly maintained air conditioning system will have to work harder to achieve the same result, which will ultimately cost you more money.
Another idea that most homeowners don’t think of is putting trees and shrubs on the sunny side of your home can reduce your cooling cost. The shade will help reduce the amount of heat that gets into your home, so you have to cool it off less. This also applies for the shades on the sunning side of the home. A similar but more expensive option is putting a reflective tint on your windows or painting the home a dark color. Both will ward off a lot of heat and make that cooling bill lower.
You may have noticed that in the last few years, your heating bill could be taking a huge chunk of your money. With the continually rising cost of oil, that means the cost for things like propane, natural gas, or kerosene are also rising. Even if half of your budget seems to be going to the heating costs, have no fear there’s a few simple measure you can take to save money.
Do a sweep of your home to identify areas that may be draining your heat. Any doors or windows have the potential for being drafty and letting the heated air out of your home, this can greatly increase your heating costs. Check anywhere that has access to the outside air and could have some open space. You would be surprised how much money you can save by properly insulating your home. Use caulk, door sweeps, plastic, and weather stripping, anything else you can to close off a leak.
Minimize the amount of time you use any ventilation fans. This includes bathroom fans or kitchen fans. On average a ventilation fan can completely strip your home of heat in under two hours. When your heating is being used, use these fans as little as possible. You also shouldn’t heat areas of your home that are rarely used. If you are never in the spare room, there’s no reason for it to be heated so go ahead and close the vents and the doors.
Don’t be tempted to turn the temperature up in an attempt to heat the house quicker. I know it’s tempting, but it just doesn’t work. Your home will heat up at exactly the same rate and your furnace will have to work twice as hard. Turning the heat down when your not home or sleeping is also a good idea. Not by too much or it can cost you more in the long run, 10 degrees should do it.