Don’t Let Energy Costs Skyrocket This Fall — Ways to Save

With school starting, many of us can feel fall approaching quickly. Though autumn doesn’t mean cold nights and sweaters here in Florida, many of us are still concerned about our energy bills as winter approaches. High utility bills aren’t inevitable, however. Here are a few easy ways to cut down on your energy costs this fall:

• Schedule a home energy audit. Energy evaluations are a simple and cost-effective way to find out how your home is wasting energy, without having to crawl around in the attic yourself. An expert auditor will visit your home and, after conducting a thorough inspection and using a thermographic camera and/or blower door test, give you some valuable recommendations on improvements that will lower your energy costs.
• Install a programmable thermostat. Many homeowners waste a great deal of money on heating and cooling, even when they aren’t at home.  A programmable thermostat can take the guesswork out of saving energy, by adapting your HVAC system to your habits, and adjusting the temperature for you when you’re out of the house of asleep.
• Fix air leaks. Those cracks around your windows and doors may seem pretty harmless, but air leaks can waste a lot of energy and overwork your HVAC system, no matter the temperature. Seal any gaps around doors, windows, and fixtures and increase insulation for instant energy savings.
• Turn down your water heater. Most of us have water heaters that are overheating water for showers and dishwashers, possibly even to dangerous levels. Adjust the temperature dial on your water heater down a few notches for decreased energy costs, without sacrificing any comfort during showers.
• Change your routine on laundry day. Most clothing can be washed in cold water, rather than warm or hot water, and hung outside to dry. Skip the dryer, and let that scorching Florida sun do all the work for you year-round by line-drying your clothes.

For more expert advice on lowering your Orlando household’s energy costs, contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions today. We’ve been serving customers in the Central Florida area since 1969.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about lowering energy costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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