If you believe that you can find fun in virtually any household task, then gather your family members, give them each a pad of paper and a pen and turn them loose. Their mission? To scour your home and find out how to lower your energy bill.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the average American family spends about $2,000 a year on utilities. Your diligent efforts to conserve energy could trim that amount by as much as 25 percent. With that compelling incentive, here’s how to get started:
- Seal air leaks: Wait for a breezy day and arm everyone with a long-stemmed lighter. Position them around those areas that are notorious for air leaks: doors, windows, electric switches and anywhere else where wires lead to an outside wall. Hold the lighter up against these spots and, if the flame flickers, you know you’ve got an air leak to seal with caulk, foam or weatherstripping.
- Add insulation: Check the insulation in the attic, crawl space and basement. Consult a handy reference guide from the U.S. Department of Energy for the type and amount of insulation you need in these areas to conserve energy and lower your energy bill.
- Set the thermostat: Clarify everybody’s summer schedules and then make a concerted effort to set the thermostat at a higher temperature by day and overnight. The U.S. Department of Energy says that you can save up to 15 percent a year by turning up your thermostat between 10 and 15 degrees for at least eight hours straight. (That works out to about 1 percent in savings for every degree.) Better still, install a programmable thermostat for long-term settings.
- Change your energy habits: Get in the habit of turning off lights as you leave a room. You also can conserve energy by unplugging electronics when they’re not in use.
Once you’ve got a decent head start, save your notes and call Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. We would love to work with you and show you how to lower your energy bill. After all, we know a fun, family time when we see it, too. And this is one that truly pays off.
