These 4 Changes Can Mean Big Energy Bill Savings

Don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s nothing you can do to reduce energy use in your Florida home. Most residences have plenty of potential for further energy savings, and often all it takes are a few small changes.

Small Changes for Big Energy Savings

1. Install a programmable thermostat, if you haven’t already done so. With a programmable model, you can create energy-saving settings for times when the house is empty or at night when everybody is sleeping. There’s no reason a house has to be fully cooled or heated when nobody’s home. Programmable thermostats also can be used to regulate temperatures for energy savings while you’re on vacation. If you decide to stick with an old-school manual thermostat, try setting the temperature two or three degrees lower in the winter and higher in the summer. You might be surprised to learn how quickly you will acclimate to small changes in temperature.
2. Use ceiling fans to supplement cooling in the summer. During the cooling season, a ceiling fan creates a cooling effect for anyone feeling the moving air, making a room seem three or four degrees cooler (even if the actual temperature is unaffected). This means you can set the thermostat a few degrees higher without any loss of comfort, resulting in less energy use and lower utility bills.
3. Use curtains, blinds or drapes to block heat from sunshine during sunny summer days. This can reduce the temperature in a room that gets sun exposure by several degrees. In the winter, thick curtains or drapes add another layer of insulation to keep the cold outside and heat inside.
4. Schedule regular seasonal maintenance for your heating and cooling systems. Annual maintenance will optimize energy efficiency, reveal small problems before they become big problems, and extend the service life of your HVAC equipment. Talk to your trusted heating and cooling contractor about available maintenance agreements, which help ensure that your HVAC system will receive regular professional maintenance.

For more advice on small changes that will help reduce energy bills for your Orlando area home, please contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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