Concerned about rising heating and cooling costs for your Crystal River, Florida, home in the summer or winter? With a few steps, it’s easy to lower your utility costs, even in the toughest seasons for heating and cooling.
Run Fans When You’re Not Moving
To keep you feeling cool, consider keeping a fan on — but only in the room you’re currently in. The fan doesn’t cool the room itself, but it does make you feel cooler by blowing air across your skin. So turn on an overhead fan while you’re sleeping, or keep a standing fan near your desk or couch. You’ll feel cooler without having to touch the thermostat.
Save Electricity By Unplugging
Anything plugged into an outlet uses a little bit of electricity, even if it’s never officially turned on. This can all add up to a lot of wasted power that cuts into your budget for heating and air conditioning. Try to keep entertainment items like computers, DVD players, and TVs unplugged when you aren’t using them. It may seem like a waste of time at first, but you’ll soon see the change reflected in your power bill.
Cook in Alternative Ways
If you want your home to be cool during the summer but you love to cook, the main thing to avoid is using the oven, which heats up your kitchen and rooms that are close by. Try to focus on cooking meals on a stovetop, in a microwave or crockpot, or even in a smaller toaster oven. Baking a roast, on the other hand, is an efficient way to warm up the house when it finally does get cold outside.
Block Excess Sunlight
For the hottest times of the year, you should be careful about windows letting sunlight shine on your tables and floors. During the hottest part of the day, for even just an hour, this light can make your home much warmer than it should be, making your HVAC system work harder to keep things cool. So, shut your blinds to block sunlight during the summer. But then when cooler winter temperatures come, keep your blinds open to help with heating. No matter what, though, you should keep them closed at night for extra insulation in both cases.
Keep Your System Airtight
Speaking of windows, it’s possible that some drafts are getting through due to an unsealed window. Try to find the spots where air is getting out or coming in, and seal them off with caulk or weatherstripping. You may also want to check the insulation in your attic to determine if you need to add more to keep your home as efficient as possible. While you’re up there, install some weatherstripping around the attic’s hatch opening to add further sealing.
Replace/Clean Your Air Filters
It’s important to have clean air flowing through your home, and your filter plays a huge role in that. Depending on what type of HVAC system you have, you might be using disposable filters or a washable one. It’s recommended to replace disposable filters every one to two months. A reusable filter, meanwhile, should be completely cleaned every month. Keeping the airflow through the filter as unrestricted as possible helps your system work at its best performance level.
Take Care of Your Ducts
Over time, dust, mold, and other contaminants can build up over your duct system. Not only does this lower the quality of the air you breathe, but it also reduces airflow, meaning your HVAC system needs to work harder to do the same job. Thankfully, our duct-cleaning experts can take care of your system, ensuring a longer overall lifespan, improved energy costs, and cleaner air.
The sooner you address the main sources of your rising energy bills, the sooner you’ll see the difference. Don’t hesitate to contact us online if you have questions about your HVAC system. However, to request service or an inspection, please call us directly at 866-881-5935. We look forward to helping you save money in the sweltering summers and chilly winters of the coming years.
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