Whether you use natural gas to heat your home or simply for a few appliances around the house, there are many ways to conserve and save on your utility bill. Below are a handful of simple tips,and some links to even more resources!
- Seal it up. Check for leaks around windows, doors, and other openings to the outside. Seal these leaks with caulk and keep the warmth in.
- Cover it up. Cover bare floors with carpet.
- Control the temp. Use programmable thermostats to help conserve energy.
- Insulate. Wrap old water heaters with proper insulating jackets, and set the temperature to 120 F (or lower). Insulate your plumbing.
- Wash cold. Whenever possible, use the cold water setting on your washing machine.
- Clean it up. Make sure your dryer filter is lint free (to help prevent fires). Regularly change your air filter in your HVAC system.
- Use mother nature. When it’s cold outside but also sunny, open the blinds during the day to let the sun help heat your home.
- Regularly check and/or replace HVAC filters every month during peak cooling or heating season. New filters usually only cost a few dollars. Dirty filters cost more to use, overwork the equipment, and result in lower indoor air quality.
- Consider installing a programmable thermostat to automate your HVAC system. Programmable thermostats will optimize your HVAC operation “24/7″ based on your schedule and can be “overridden” as needed for unscheduled events. So consumers and staff always enter a comfortable facility, this “smart thermostat” can turn on the HVAC one hour before arrival instead of heating or cooling unoccupied space.
- Make use of ceiling fans. Comfort is a function of temperature, humidity, and air movement. Moving air can make a somewhat higher temperature and/or humidity feel comfortable. Fans can help delay or reduce the need for air conditioning, and a temperature setting of only 3 to 5 degrees higher can feel as comfortable with fans. Each degree of higher temperature can save about 3% on cooling costs. When the temperature outside is more comfortable than inside, a “box fan” in the window, or a large “whole facility” fan in the attic can push air out of the facility and pull in comfortable outside air. Fans can improve comfort and save energy year round.