Going green is all the rage these days because more and more people are finding out that it not only helps the environment, but it also can save a lot of money. Some green strategies in the home are more effective than others, but all of them are good investments. The following green energy tips are just a few of the options for making your home more energy efficient.
Appliances and Household Equipment
- Make sure that your appliances, equipment and energy-related home improvements, everything from your laptop to your A/C system to your new windows, carry the Energy Star label. These devices have been certified by this federal program to be high efficiency while delivering solid performance.
- Ceiling fans, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers not only help to balance household humidity and dissipate smoke, they also allow you to reduce the amount of work that your HVAC system must do to keep the house comfortable. This equates to energy savings. Unplugging unused appliances also will save small amounts of energy that will add up to big savings over time.
- When the nights are cool, turn off the A/C and open the windows while you’re sleeping. The cool morning air will allow you to delay the point at which your cooling system needs to come on. Close the windows as soon as the outside air gets warmer than your indoor temperature.
HVAC Considerations
- Some energy saving tips require an examination of your current HVAC system. Compare the efficiency ratings of your older furnace, A/C or heat pump with newer models. A higher rating means higher efficiency, and if your current system is older than 10 years, you’ll be surprised at how much more efficiently the modern upgrade will operate, saving substantially on your energy bills. Regular maintenance also will boost efficiency and performance.
- Invest in a programmable thermostat for yearlong savings. Also, changing filters regularly improves your cooling and heating efficiency.
Go Green Using Green
Some of the best green energy tips are simply using mother nature. Solar panels are a great way to boost energy efficiency. Planting trees in your yard not only will provide cooling shade but also improve air quality. House plants can remove toxic particulates from your home’s air, also making it smell better.
Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning has been serving the Fresno area for 40 years. Contact us today for more green tips or to schedule a visit.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Fresno, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about green energy tips and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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