Most Common Mistakes We Make To Save Energy…What We Should Actually Do
Common mistakes we make include:
1. Letting the furnace or air conditioner salesperson sell them a unit that’s much bigger than they need.
2. Not getting the ducts checked for leakage when installing a new heating and cooling system.
3. Thinking that “since heat rises, we only need to insulate the attic.”… Floors over a basement or crawlspace, walls and windows also matter.
4. Not using ceiling and portable fans to improve comfort in the cooling season. They use very little electricity. Use them to circulate air in the house, to make the house feel cooler by doing this, the thermostat setting for your air conditioner can be raised to 85°F, and still maintain the same comfort as the lower setting.
What we should do:
Weatherstripping can reduce or eliminate drafts through windows and doors. It doesn’t take long to install, increases comfort and reduces costs.
Rope caulk provides a temporary seal during the winter months around windows that leak. We can remove this seal in the summer so that we can open and shut the windows. If our windows are very leaky, we can fit a piece of plastic over the window during the winter to form an inexpensive storm window.
Here are some other possibilities:
1. Seal and caulk major air leaks around windows, door, electrical outlets, plumbing fixtures and outside architectural features like chimneys.
2. Shade south and west glass with deciduous plants to keep the heat out during the summer.
3. Use fans with your air conditioner. By circulating the air you can set the thermostat up to five degrees higher and maintain the same comfort level.
4. Install compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in frequently used fixtures. While CFLs are expensive, you can take them with you when you move.
4. If we own our refrigerator, we should consider replacing it if it is more than ten years old. New efficiency standards went into effect in 1993, and older units are typically two to three time more expensive to run than a new unit. If we have a second refrigerator in the garage, consider getting rid of it. Chances are it is an older, inefficient unit, and since garages are hot in the summer, the refrigerator is even more expensive to run.