It's that time of year again. Beaches, barbecues, road trips, and more! If you're going on vacation this summer (or you're a snowbird), make sure you follow these 5 tips to save on energy while you're gone.
Is your home dusty no matter how much you vacuum, dust, and clean? Have simple fixes like using air cleaners, bathing pets, and taking shoes off at the door had little to no effect on the dust situation? Chances are that there is a deeper reason for why dust is constantly invading your home and why it’s not being effectively removed.
1. Your air ducts It is possible that your duct system is pulling in dust from your attic, and other areas, and distributing it throughout your home. According to ENERGY STAR, the typical home loses about 20-30% of the air flowing through the forced-air system’s ductwork. This loss is mainly because of holes or gaps around fittings or joints. These holes and gaps allow dust into the system which then blows into your conditioned areas. An easy way to test this in your home is to look at the vent covers. If it looks dusty, your ducts may be the problem. Sealing your air duct system will lower your bill and reduce the amount of dust in your home. 2. Your HVAC filters You should be changing your filters every 2-4 months. If dust in your home is a significant issue then changing the filters can only help. If it seems like your filters never get dirty, or you only change them once in a blue moon, chances are they’re not catching the dust in your air and if the filters are filthy, air won’t pass through, and dust will simply bounce off and settle somewhere else in the house. For the best results: invest in quality filters, change your filters regularly, stay on top of routine maintenance, and make sure you’re not skimping on filters. 3. Outside air If you live in a hot and dry area like Phoenix, you’re probably getting a good amount of dust and dirty air coming in from the outside of your home. This is a common problem in the dust-bowl, desert and sandy beach areas. A good way of taking on the dust from the outdoors is investing in an air purifier. Another tactic of taking on the dust from outside is finding a good balance of humidity and dryness in your home’s air. Dry air can mean more dust and often times dust is a sign of dry air. Having an energy audit done on your home can be a great way to identify why there is so much dust in your home. Schedule an appointment HERE Simple and inexpensive actions can help you save energy and money during the warm spring and summer months. Here you’ll find strategies to help you save energy during the spring and summer when the weather is warm and you are trying to keep your home cool. Some of the tips below are free and can be used on a daily basis to increase your savings; others are simple and inexpensive actions you can take to ensure maximum savings through the spring and summer. If you haven’t already, get a professional energy audit to find out where you can save the most. Use windows and shade trees to gain cool air and keep heat out
Operate your thermostat efficiently
Use fans and ventilation strategies to cool your home
Keep your cooling system running efficiently
Don’t heat your home with appliances and lighting
Keep hot air from leaking inside
Lower your water heating costs
There is a simple answer here: YES!
50% of the heat that enters into your home comes through the windows. Now that you know this fact, why let yourself and your home continue to sit through the blistering summer months when you could be saving time, energy, and money trying (and failing!) to keep your house cool? Learn what it can feel like to give your A/C unit a break every once in a while. Shade screens can simultaneously block heat gain, cut A/C costs, protect your house's interior from sun damage, and even provide a little bit of extra privacy for your windows. You can have it installed on any window, any shape, anywhere. Your home will cut out bright, obtrusive lighting and harmful UV rays, while still keeping your view. Plus, with the many colors styles available for choosing, you can even keep your individual style! The only thing you'll be giving up is a high energy bill. What's not to love?
Have you tried opening and closing registers, adding more insulation, or even replacing the air conditioner to no avail? At Green ID, we offer whole-house energy efficiency solutions that have been proven to fix hot and cold rooms and reduce high energy bills. Energy audits work great with solar because audits can show you where you can fix comfort problems and improve your indoor air quality. Plus, just like with solar, there are additional utility rebates for home upgrades that are recommended through the energy audit process. Having an energy audit performed will maximize the potential of your solar energy, and will make your home even more green. All while saving you money in the long run! Sign up for a home energy audit today and discover where your home could be performing better. Lower your bills further, get rebates, and live more comfortably. Plus, you can get up to 30% more from your solar system! That means that that investment becomes even more valuable, at an affordable upfront cost that will more than pay for itself in a few short years. The bottom line is that incorporating home upgrades as recommended through a home energy audit will result in:
One of the most frequent questions that we receive is, “why are certain rooms in my house hotter than others in the summer?” This is something that homeowners are always looking for a solution to. The good news is we can always solve this. Homeowners normally blame this temperature imbalance on their windows but the truth is that more often than not, that is not the main contributing factor. Windows may contribute to a hot room if they are directly sun struck with no shading (by things like trees, shade screens, film or awnings) but there’s almost always an additional underlying issue.
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April 2024
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