As a follow up to part 1 of our “Small Changes Can Make a Big Impact” blog post series, here are five more tips to help you make the quality of life within your home better. Simple changes can lead to a big collective impact. If you have your own simple tips to add, please feel free to share them with us via Twitter or Facebook.
1. Use natural ventilation. It’s the perfect time of year to start taking advantage of the clean outdoor air by bringing it into your home. By opening windows or doors, you can replace all the old, stale air inside your home with fresh outdoor air. Not only will your house become more ventilated and improve indoor air quality, you can also cut down on the amount you have to use your air conditioner (depending on your environment, of course). An open window and a fan can go a long way toward improving your comfort level.
2. Adjust you thermostat. Programmable thermostats can be incredible tools for managing your energy usage and consumption. Whether you are controlling heat during the colder months or cool air during warmer months, setting your thermostat in a smart way can save you big. Think about when you won’t be home for long periods of time and adjust accordingly. Map out your typical week’s activities and set your thermostat accordingly.
3. Plant trees and shrubs. Sometimes, the best way to save energy use inside your home is to start outside. By planting trees and shrubs around your home, you can decrease the amount of energy needed by your air conditioning unit to cool your home during warmer Spring and Summer days. Using smart landscaping can create an “energy shield” around your home and provide a sort of insulation, which benefits your energy consumption all year round.
4. Get smarter about your meal prep. Meal preparations may not be closely linked to energy savings at first thought, but this can be a big opportunity to save since it’s something you probably do most days. A warm oven or stovetop can bring a lot of heat into your home, which can cause your AC unit to kick into overdrive during warmer days. Changing out the inside oven meal prep for outdoor grilling can keep the inside of your home cool and comfortable without a big increase in energy use.
5. Don’t forget the home when preparing for a vacation. Vacation season is certainly upon us. If you’re spending money to get out of the area for a while, there’s no reason you should be spending even more money on unused energy in your home. Almost all of the tips listed above, as well as many others, can be taken into account before leaving for vacation. We’re out of our homes quite a bit, especially on vacation. Being mindful of energy consumption when you’re not there can lead to a big overall savings.
As always, if we can be of any help whatsoever in determining what the best path forward for your energy savings, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
