Save Money On Home Energy Cost? Follow These Practical Ideas To Save Over $$$$$ Per Year.
Here in the Midwest we just finished winter and now are enjoying the nice cool spring weather. As summer approaches the weather will be turning hotter causing many of us to run our air conditioners. The cost to cool our homes can be more expensive than to heat our homes. I have been looking at my yearly overall energy cost and looking for ways to save money on home energy cost. However, I don’t plan to shut off the heater or the air conditioner.
In my search to reduce cost, I found some good material to read on energystar.gov . Energy Star products are independently certified to save energy without sacrificing features or functionality. These products can be identified by looking for the blue Energy Star label on the product. Using Energy Star products can help you save money on home energy cost.
Heating & Cooling Systems
Most homes have forced air heating and cooling systems. This means that the air, after it has been warmed up or cooled down by the furnace or air conditioner, is routed through the house through a system of ducts. In order for the air to reach the rooms that are being cooled or heated passes through a filter and at least 10 – 100 feet of ductwork. If the filter is dirty, it slows the air down and lessons the flow of air to the rooms. If the ductwork is dirty or has leaks the air also slows down. The net result is less air to the rooms that you want to cool/heat. With less air going to the rooms, the heater/air conditioner has to run longer. This then uses more energy.
To fix this and save money on home energy cost, change the filters frequently. Once a month is recommended. Hiring a contractor to clean the ductwork also helps. It will also reduce the amount of dust you get in your home. Finally, inspect the connections of the ductwork that you have access to for air leakage. You can buy inexpensive tape that is used for ductwork to seal the connections if you do have leaks. Hence, changing the filter, cleaning the ducts, and taping the connections should help get more air to each room thereby saving you energy cost.
Ductwork Insulation
If you have a house design that has the ductwork running through a crawlspace, garage or attic, you may want to consider insulating the ducts in these areas. Depending on the season, this will help keep the air inside the duct from heating up of cooling down as it travels to the rooms you are heating or cooling. You will have a one-time cost of insulation but will have a yearly cost saving from reduced energy. The cost for insulation and the yearly amount to save money on home energy cost will be related to the amount of ductwork being insulated.
The Heating unit and air conditioning unit should be checked to ensure it is operating correctly. Over time the a/c unit may lose some of its coolant charge or the coils in the unit become dirty. Both of these will cause the a/c to lose efficiency and have to run longer. A periodic maintenance of the units not only will save money on home energy cost but should also extend the life of the units.
Programmable Thermostats
Studies have shown that installing a programmable thermostat can save money on home energy cost by up to $180 per year in energy savings. This is especially true if everyone is out of the house for extended periods of time throughout the day. Use this guideline for proper settings of the programmable thermostat. This guideline can be found on energystar.gov.
| Setting | Time | Setpoint Temperature (Heat) | Setpoint Temperature (Cool) |
| Wake | 6:00 a.m. | ≤ 70° F | ≥ 78° F |
| Day | 8:00 a.m. | Setback at least 8° F | Setup at least 7° F |
| Evening | 6:00 p.m. | ≤ 70° F | ≥ 78° F |
| Sleep | 10:00 p.m. | Setback at least 8° F | Setup at least 4° F |
I had to study this chart a little bit to understand it. When using the heating system, the thermostats should be set to 70deg F or less at 6:00 am. Then at 8:00 am when the kids go to school and parents go to work, set the thermostat to 62 deg F. In the evening, around 6:00 pm, when everyone returns home, set the thermostat to 70 deg F. Finally, at 10:00 pm when everyone goes to bed, set the thermostat to 62 deg F.
Obviously, you will need to adjust the time and temperature to fit your family. I personally enjoy the cooler temperatures at night during the winter after I go to bed. Helps me sleep better. In the summer, adjusting the temperature up 4 deg at night takes a little bit to get used to. Overall this is an easy way to save money on the cost of heating and cooling you home.
Next week I plan to cover other suggestions on how to save energy cost associated with you home. The heating and cooling system is such a major use of energy that I focused in on these systems first.