It is time for family gatherings inside a warm and cheerful home. Cooler weather brings together all family members in their happy home full of warmth. Properly preparing your home for cooler weather can affect your energy bills. Even in Arizona, the overnight temperatures can get very chilly. Save energy, save money, and, most importantly, save your health, this winter season with these energy-efficient tips.
Insulate Your Home
There are many ways to make your home more energy-efficient, but proper insulation is arguably the best of them. If your insulation is poor, your energy bills will be through the roof. You canāt simply keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer if there is nothing to protect your walls and ceiling against cold or heat outside. There are many types of insulation for all climate zones and weather conditions, and on insulation4less you can find useful information on the most appropriate type of insulation for your home.
Protect Your Doors and Windows
If there are cracks or drafty spots around your doors and windows, seal them to avoid wasting energy. A simple test by holding a lit candle will help find any drats so that you can mark them and then add some caulking or draft excluders around the area. Weather stripping can do an excellent job of sealing air leaks around windows and doors, and you can also apply exterior window film as added insulation.Ā
Seal Ductwork
If your ductwork has any leaks, your HVAC system wonāt be able to work properly, which will lead to energy losses. It is a system of tubes that transport hot or cool air through your HVAC system, so it has to be properly sealed. Make sure you inspect it thoroughly to avoid unnecessary expense.Ā
Keep Your Water Heater Hot
It is best to use on-demand water heaters because these waste the least amount of energy. Even then, to make the lowest heat loss, it is recommended to wrap them in an insulation blanket.
Shift Your Washing and Drying Schedule
The dishwasher, washer, and dryer are usually big energy guzzlers. If you are on time-of-use rates, try rearranging your routine so that you wash your dishes overnight, and you can wash your clothes on the weekends or whatever hours are off-peak for your energy plan. Dryers are super useful, especially during cold months, but in warmer weather, nothing can take the place of air drying. It is both energy-efficient and eco-friendly.
Defrost Your Freezer Regularly
It is very important to defrost and clean your refrigerator and freezer regularly to save energy. If you have lots of built-up ice in your freezer, it will work even harder to try and keep everything in it cool. Needless to say, this will waste a lot of energy and, therefore, money. Doing this regularly will make it much easier to clean it, and you will be saving energy, money, and time.
Vacuum Your Devices More Frequently
At the back of dryers, refrigerators, computers, and many other devices, there are cooling ventilators. When those ventilators get clogged with dust, they need more energy to keep the unit cool. And the probability of breaking down is another reason to keep them clean. Use your vacuum cleaner attachment to clean those ventilators to save energy and prolong the lifespan of your devices.
Unplug Your Chargers and Other Devices
Most of the cell phones get fully charged in about an hour. Plug in your charger when you intend to charge your mobileās battery and unplug it after itās finished. Also, unplug your PC and other devices that are not in use to save even more energy.