Home Energy Usage (2)

One thing we seem to get asked a lot about is how to save money by lowering energy usage around the home. There are actually quite a few low cost or no cost ways you can lower your energy usage around your home.

Tips To Save Energy (and Money) from Your Indianapolis Heating and Cooling Expert:

  • Heating & Cooling your home is the largest energy user (approx. 48%). This is a good place to start looking for ways to save money.
    • Change your air filter on a regular basis. A dirty filter causes your system to work harder, thereby using more energy to do the same job.
    • Consider installing a programmable thermostat to manage your system more efficiently. If you already have a programmable thermostat, make sure you are using correctly. Check out these guidelines for properly using a programmable thermostat.
    • Check to see that windows and doors are closed when heating or cooling your home.
  • The next single, biggest energy user in your home is water heating (18%).
    • Make sure the thermostat on your water heater is set to *120°F. Savings from turning down your water heater temperature are based on two components: reduced standby losses (heat lost from water heater into surrounding area); and consumption (from water demand or use in your home). Set too high, your water heater can waste anywhere from $36 to $61 annually in standby heat losses and more than $400 in demand uses, according to Energy.gov. *[We do not recommend that homeowners make this adjustment themselves. Have your plumber make this adjustment when they are in your home doing annual water heater maintenance.]
    • Take short showers instead of baths and use low-flow showerheads for additional energy savings.
  • Reduce the amount of usage on appliances, lighting and electrical equipment.
    • Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
    • Air dry clothes.
    • Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
    • Turn things off when you are not in the room such as lights, TVs, entertainment systems, and your computer and monitor.
    • Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use — TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power.
    • When in the market for new appliances, look for the Energy Star Label on products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the US Dept. of Energy. As your Indianapolis Trane Dealer, a company that excels in providing high efficiency products, we know the importance of buying the right appliances.

I hope these tips have helped you out. Looking for more ways to save around the home…“Like” us on our Facebook page for future information on saving energy in your home, and schedule a maintenance visit to save money on your HVAC.