When energy matters matter

___

Published Date 10/13/2021

“Turn off the lights when you leave a room.”

“Open the windows and turn off the AC when it gets cooler outside.”

Did your parents ever give you a hard time about wasting utilities? At the time, incandescent lightbulbs were the least efficient type of lighting, making them waste a ton of energy if left on for no reason.

Realtor’s Ana Durrani quotes a screen door/window repair expert, who says, “When it comes to home budgets, every little bit counts. So by cutting down on heating and air-conditioning costs, you’re adding to your savings account.”

While flipping a switch and turning down the thermostat are two ways to save energy and money on household utilities, what is the best way to adjust other day-to-day behaviors when it comes to our lighting, cooling, and heating systems, and how we use and power all of our many gadgets? It’s easier than you think.

Just because model homes have NO blinds or shades on their windows and patio doors doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Sunlight streaming through windows can increase the temperature in your home by as much as 20%. Completely shaded windows, however, can help keep your home cooler in hotter months and, in turn, help you save on air-conditioning costs. Shades and blinds are great, but awnings can help save money as their shade protects from the sun. Durrani reports that depending on the type of awning you get, it can reduce the amount of cooling energy you need by 25%, adding up to a savings of about $200 a year.

If 007 can have a stealth tool at his disposal, why can’t you? Durrani reveals, “Three words: thermostatic mixing valve. Sounds fancy, right? But it’s a simple part your plumber can install that mixes cold water with scalding hot water to maintain a safe temperature at the faucets. And this cool little valve can cut your energy costs substantially.” She adds that adding this valve allows you to keep the temperature setting on the water heater very high but uses less of the water each time, resulting in 50% more hot water available for use.”

Doors, whether entry doors or storm doors, can often be the culprits of energy loss. While storm doors aren’t popular or even needed all over the U.S., they do keep out the elements while keeping energy consumption down. Adding a storm door is a great investment if your existing main door is older and not insulated. You could also consider replacing an old door with a newer, insulated one. This one change can shrink energy bills an average of 12%.

Skylights are also massive entry point for heat to enter your home. Solution? Skylight covers. These devices are a box created out of sun-control screen panels to shade the skylights. Using them to cover existing skylights will lead to as much as a 90% reduction of heat entering the home, lowering your AC costs.

You might think of AC filters as those special screens that remove dust and debris from the air before entering your system, but when they clog up the AC unit will have to work much harder and use more energy, causing a substantial rise in the electric bill. Experts agree dirt in the filter can also shorten the life of your AC since dirt can find its way into the inner workings of the unit and that extra strain on the fan motor can take a toll. It is recommended to replace air filters monthly.

Realtor, TBWS

All information furnished has been forwarded to you and is provided by thetbwsgroup only for informational purposes. Forecasting shall be considered as events which may be expected but not guaranteed. Neither the forwarding party and/or company nor thetbwsgroup assume any responsibility to any person who relies on information or forecasting contained in this report and disclaims all liability in respect to decisions or actions, or lack thereof based on any or all of the contents of this report.