Believe it or not, the New Year is just around the corner. It’s that time when we all make lists of resolutions to better our lives and the lives of those around us.
At BelRed, we believe in helping to improve the lives of our customers and their loved ones when it comes to home energy and performance. In this blog series, we’ve put together a list of resolutions for your new year that could help do just that.
Follow this checklist and you’ll be well on your way to a more energy efficient home in 2016 and beyond!
- Ease up on your water heater. Heating water is a huge energy requirement during the colder winter months. Our desire for warmer water, especially in the shower, can create a much higher demand on your water heater. Start by making sure the thermostat on your water heater is set to a reasonable level. There’s no need to heat water to a hotter level than what’s necessary or even comfortable. Second, install low flow showerheads and faucets if/where appropriate. Using less water means using less hot water, which means your water heater doesn’t have to work overtime this winter.
- Go with a power strip for your electronics. Using power strips will not only help you use less energy by making it easier to turn off multiple electronics at once, it will also keep your electronics safe from surges. Power strips help reduce or eliminate phantom power (the power that is used when electronics are off but still plugged in) by creating one off switch to block this power phenomenon. Power strips also help keep people more mindful of the power they are using on a regular basis.
- Take advantage of the sun – it’s free energy! If you become an expert at using your window curtains to your advantage, you could find yourself saving a lot of energy this winter. On sunny days, open the curtain on the south facing windows of your house. This will allow the sun to come in and heat up your home naturally. When the sun isn’t shining, or during the evening and night hours, close the curtains or blinds to keep that heat trapped in your home. A simple, and FREE, heat source.
As always, we’re here to help well beyond developing a list of energy saving tips for you to tackle in the new year. We’d love to help with any home performance upgrade or project, whether it’s on this list or not! Give us a call today to schedule an appointment. We hope you have a fantastic New Year!
