The warm days are slowly fading away. After a hot summer, it’s exciting to welcome Fall and Winter weather. As the weather begins to transition, here are some tips to incorporate in your home to save energy and some money! If you aren’t careful higher energy consumption can creep into the cooler months as well.
Use Natural Light to Your Advantage
Use the sun’s energy and warmth to your advantage! During the day you can finally open those blinds up for natural lighting and to heat your home. South-facing windows will help warm your home without using any energy at all. This is a great hack as you phase out the air conditioner and are not quite ready to turn on the heat.
Seal Up the Cracks, Leaks, and Drafts
This is a big tip year-round to save energy, but after a hot summer, be sure to check for any new cracks, leaks, or drafts. Early fall is a great time to check for these things as well as doors and windows for any gaps letting heat out or cold air in. Catch the drafts early before you’re in the thick of winter – it will save you significantly. Another commonly missed area to check would be cut-throughs for pipe access, recess lighting, and entries to unfinished spaces for gaps affecting the insulation.
Don’t Forget to Reprogram Your Thermostat
Strategically programming your thermostat can reduce energy use and save you quite a bit on the energy bill. Before the weather gets too cold. Make sure your heating system is working properly for the size of your home. This is a great time to change your air filter if you have not done so – this should be done monthly.
Programing your thermostat for the warmer and cooler months is a top tip that if not done at all or done correctly can easily bust your budget and energy efficiency. As fall and winter weather moves in, it is recommended to set your heat at 68 degrees. This is to help the heat run systematically and not be overworked if it falls below 68 degrees. Programming your thermostat to a temperature you can leave for days is the best place for it to be to avoid using too much power. If you are going to be gone during the cooler months, you can turn the heat a little lower – 65 or lower – to save on energy while you are gone and increase incrementally a few degrees as you return.
Prepare the Inside of Your Home
Not only does sealing any cracks, leaks or drafts improve your energy efficiency. A few other things you can do to reduce energy consumption and get your home cozy for winter are reversing ceiling vans, sealing your fireplace correctly, and replacing your indoor air filter.
Ceiling fans can be a tool to keep you warm if properly set clockwise during the cooler months. Doing this pushes warm air down and cold air to redistribute the air coming out of vents to all areas of your home. As for the fireplace, be sure you are not letting warm air escape. Properly seal the damper as tightly as possible you may also consider adding an energy-efficient grate. Lastly, don’t forget to replace your indoor AND outdoor air filters – this is so important for energy efficiency and your health.
Incorporate these tips to reduce energy consumption this fall and winter!
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