Tips to Improve Energy Efficiency
Regardless of the season, there are a number of different ways to help you improve the energy efficiency of your home. Taking a few simple measures can have a significant impact on how comfortable the temperature in your home is, how well appliances function, and how much you spend on utility bills.
At South Jersey Energy Service Plus by HomeServe (SJESP), we are passionate about helping people reduce the carbon footprint they leave on our planet, while also helping them to find savings on electrical, water, and gas bills. Here are some helpful tips to help you improve energy efficiency at your South Jersey home.
Remain Consistent With Annual Maintenance
One of the best things you can do to improve energy efficiency throughout both the summer and winter months is to schedule annual maintenance for your heating and cooling systems. With regular maintenance, your furnace, air conditioner, water heater, and plumbing are carefully inspected to ensure that they are working properly and efficiently. Careful inspection will check for potential problems, address minor repairs, and clean the systems in order to keep them functioning at an optimal level. With help from a trusted South Jersey heating, cooling and plumbing company, you can be sure that your home is prepared to efficiently handle the demands of any season.
Consider Investing In New Appliances
Old, outdated appliances or HVAC systems are often to blame for high energy use and expensive energy bills. Replacing old appliances with more energy efficient ones can help households saving hundreds of dollars annually. Make sure to purchase appliances that are Energy Star rated. Appliances that make the biggest impact on energy use include air conditioners, refrigerators, clothes dryers, washing machines, and dishwashers. Outdated furnace or water heaters are also important items to consider updating.
Upgrade To Programmable Thermostat
One of the most common reasons for inefficient heating or cooling systems is the thermostat. If you have an older thermostat, you might consider upgrading to a smart programmable thermostat. This is one of the best ways to lower your energy bills. With a programmable thermostat, you can program times for the temperature to be lowered or raised keeping your home warm or cool when you’re home and saving energy when you’re not. Smart technology even allows you to change the temperature from an app so you can change it when you need to, regardless of where you are.
Be Mindful Of Use
Take some time to observe your daily habits watching for actions that could be costing you on your monthly utility bills. Making simple adjustments can make a significant difference in minimizing energy use. A few ways through which you can be more mindful of your energy consumption include:
- Adjusting the temperature on your thermostat by just a few degrees – gov recommends 68 degrees during the winter and 78 degrees over the summer
- Using natural sunlight to warm your home during the winter and blocking sunlight with blinds or curtains to keep it cooler during the summer
- Checking the temperature on your water heater – 120 degrees is recommended for most homes
- Unplugging electronics or appliances that are not in use
- Turning off lights after leaving a room
- Using ceiling fans to better circulate air
- Using an attic fan in the evening to bring cool air in from outside
- Using cold water for laundry
- Doing full loads of laundry instead of several small ones
- Line dry clothing when possible instead of using your clothes dryer
- Replacing incandescent light bulbs with LED’s
- Closing the refrigerator door promptly
- Replacing air filters in air conditioners and furnaces
- Checking seals around doors and windows and replacing them where needed
For more tips on improving energy or to schedule furnace maintenance and/or AC maintenance in South Jersey, contact us.
South Jersey Energy Service Plus
420 N 2nd Road, Unit 1, Hammonton, NJ
(888) 246-2610