Saving with Energy-Efficient Systems

4/22/2016

It’s International Earth Day everyone! Happy Earth Day! We’ve been gifted with a beautiful blue and green home here and it’s our job to take care of it while we enjoy it.  Currently, the best way to do that is by reducing the amount of waste we generate on a daily basis.  That means doing our best to make sure we don’t need to run our heaters throughout the winter or spend all day with the air conditioner on during the summer.

While it would be great if we could all afford to rebuild our homes to be more energy efficient in their design, it’s not cost-effective.  And for those of us living in rented homes, apartments, and townhouses, it’s not feasible at all.  So instead, let’s take a look at the options that are both available and affordable to each and every one of us.

Passive Energy Efficiency

Passive systems and techniques are things that reduce energy consumption without requiring additional costs after they’ve been installed.  These are often the best methods because, once they’re in place, there’s only minor maintenance or the occasional action needed to set them up.  What are we talking about when we talk about passive efficiency?

• Shading the house with trees and plants
• Using curtains to keep heat out or in (depending on the season)
• Adding solar screens or film to windows for heat regulation
• Changing the thermostat
• Fixing insulation in your home
• Sealing vents, windows, and doors

You’re well aware that a shade tree is great for a picnic, but it’s also great for keeping your home cooler in the summer.  As an added bonus, when the leaves fall away in the winter, the warmth of the sun is still there to keep your home warm throughout the cold season.

Curtains also work well at both times of the year.  During the summer, you can use them to keep the heat out of your home (or simply use a light shade to filter some of the light out).  Then, in the winter, draw the curtains at night to keep heat in.

Changes and repairs to your home will have a similar effect on just how much you spend on heating and cooling throughout the year.  Proper maintenance to prevent drafts through windows and doors keeps heat where you want it (outside in the summer and inside during the winter).  Likewise, keeping ventilation ducts sealed will save on energy costs because you aren’t regulating the climate in crawlspaces or your attic (where most people don’t spend their time).  And of course, making sure that your attic is properly insulated will go a long way to lowering how often you need to run either the air conditioner or the heater.

Energy-Efficient Systems

Taking a more active approach to energy efficiency means using green-energy systems.  Making sure that the appliances and devices in your home are all ENERGY STAR certified or upgrading your HVAC unit to something that’s designed to work smarter.

Installing smart thermostats that learn how you live and can be programmed to only operate during specific times or days will help to actively monitor and control the consumption of energy in your home.  Switching out your central air system for zoned or split systems will give you the option of regulating which rooms are cool, rather than having to heat or cool the entire home at the same time.  Of course, you can also swap out your cooling system for one that uses a more natural source, like geothermal heating and cooling, instead of the standard fuel-furnace or refrigerant air conditioning.

Obviously, there are plenty of methods to improve our own energy footprints this year.  We’d love to hear from you on how you plan to help keep our world green and clean this year.  And we’ll be happy to help out when it comes to maintenance, repairs, and new systems.  So let’s make it a great year, together!

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