7 Tips for a More Earth-Friendly and Energy-Efficient Home

With the celebration of Earth Day recently and spring cleaning on the minds of a lot of homeowners, it’s a great time to make homes more earth-friendly and energy efficient. The fact is, with only a few small, economical changes, homeowners could be on their way to saving 20% or more on monthly energy bills. Here, the home-efficiency professionals from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning share tricks on how to start saving now.

1. Install a Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat typically saves between 12% to 23% on a power bill, and it’s also a remarkable tool to cut down on carbon emissions from a residence. How is that possible? Smart thermostats do more than only programming the time of day for the heating or cooling system to turn on or off. A number of smart thermostats are intuitive and can recognize changes in power use patterns and home activity. They can also be programmed while you are away via an app, and alert homeowners about changes that may impact their energy bill.

“This technology saves you money and also makes life easier,” said Service Experts’ Lisa Lange. “It’s a low-cost way to improve energy efficiency in your home immediately.”

2. Hire a Professional to Perform a Heating and Cooling System Tune-up

Before the summer heat arrives, another eco-friendly move is to set up an air-conditioning system tune-up. Routine maintenance will help homeowners avoid costly repairs during the busy season for HVAC service crews and a system that performs optimally minimizes reliance on fossil fuel energy sources.

A tune-up involves cleaning all of the system’s major components, in addition to testing and making adjustments to the unit’s operating system. In addition to checking refrigerant levels and replacing clogged or dirty air filters, the outdoor condenser should also be cleaned and examined.

“During your tune-up, it’s a great time to tap the expertise of an HVAC pro,” explained Lisa Lange. “We encourage customers to ask about thermostat settings, when to change air filters and bring any other questions they may have about the energy efficiency of their home.”

3. Add Insulation

Adding insulation to a home is an eco-friendly tip that could help save up to 20% on an electricity bill. In many homes, air escapes through attics, crawl spaces and basements. If a room is drafty and has trouble maintaining a consistent temperature, it may be time to inspect your home’s attic insulation. Cold floors may also be a sign that basement insulation isn’t satisfactory. All of these concerns also lead to higher energy consumption, which leads to increased carbon emissions.

“Many homeowners are surprised when they learn their home is under-insulated, but it’s actually quite common,” said Lange. “The good news is that, just like a smart thermostat, you can see the utility cost savings from this decision very quickly. You will also take comfort in knowing that you are helping improve our environment through reduced emissions.

4. Make Sure Your Residence Is Airtight

Windows, ductwork, light sockets and weather stripping around doors are all places in the home subject to leaks and heat loss or gain (in summer, no one wants muggy air seeping in). Let Earth Day be a reminder to green up these areas of the house by doing some simple repairs. Replacing old weather stripping and caulking around windows are two inexpensive tasks that are fairly easy to tackle, said Lange, and will lessen the strain on HVAC systems and the electrical grid too.

5. Use An Energy Zoning System

To create a comfort zoning system for a home, a certified HVAC Expert identifies areas in a house based on its layout, sun exposures and the amount of energy demand different areas have. The HVAC pro can then design a system that properly distributes air through the home balancing comfort and energy efficiency. These systems often utilize several thermostats and adjustments to the ductwork. When joined with a smart thermostat, they can drastically improve comfort, save customers more than 30% on their energy bill and noticeably reduce a home’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“How many times in a day do we heat or cool a room no one is using? It happens all the time, and it adds up to significant energy waste, and these systems are an optimal solution,” Lange said.

6. Buy Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

If a homeowner’s finances don’t allow for major upgrades, replacing standard incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs is an inexpensive eco-friendly decision with a big impact on the environment. The majority of LEDs will last up to seven years and use about 90% less power than traditional bulbs.

7. Go Solar

With up to 30% in federal tax credits available to bring down the price of a solar installation, there may never be a better time to install one on a home. Over their lifetime, these quality energy-producing systems can yield an average savings of about $60,000 and greatly reduce a household’s cumulative carbon footprint.

“We have the best program in the country. Our experts will develop an energy savings plan that will help you get the most out of your system and show you’re making a direct positive impact on the environment,” Lange said.

For more information about tips to make a home more energy efficient, visit Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today.