I have high hopes that the days of 100+ degree days are long gone considering October is right around the corner! As autumn “falls” upon us and we gear up for the upcoming holiday season, before we know it, winter will be here and Jack Frost will be paying all North Texas homeowners a lovely visit. Just as air conditioners are tested to the limit during Texas summers, winter provides your home’s heating system a chance to prove itself. In order to prevent your energy bill from skyrocketing, I have provided a few tips about cutting energy costs around the home. (And hey, they cut down the AC bill in the summer too!)
One major step to prevent the cold from creeping in during the winter and the heat from making its presence known in the summer, is to make sure walls (and the attic too) are properly insulated. When the walls of your home are properly insulated, it slows the rate the inside air is leaked to the outdoors. Having the proper insulation installed in your attic will stop the heat from the house from sneaking into the attic in the winter and vice versa during the summer. Not having to worry about heating or cooling the attic will result in lower electricity bills.
Another way to conserve costs related to heating or cooling your attic is to install a solar attic fan. These fans are powered by the sun’s energy alone, cutting your energy bill and preserving the well-being of your attic. In the summer, the temperature in your attic may reach as high as 160 degrees. With the help of a solar fan, the average attic reaches 110 degrees. These assistants are just as nifty in the winter as they circulate the air inside the attic to prevent the atmosphere from getting too cold or going stale. For more information regarding solar fans, check out a North Texas provider, such as, Cool My Attic Now.
Another cost effective technique that can be implemented in your home involves your current windows. With time, windows age and become leaky. Air from inside your home may be seeping to the outdoors causing you to run your heating or cooling system more intensely. If you are looking to replace your windows, it pays to install energy-efficient windows. These will cut your energy bill down anywhere from 7%-24% and often times provide better light for your home. If you don’t want to replace your windows just yet, there are several simple tasks you can do yourself to cut down energy costs. Make sure the weather stripping on each window is intact. This seals the gap and prevents extra air from going in or out. Also, it pays off to lock each window to seal off any extra space.
Other simple DIY tasks that can be done around the house to cut costs include, closing the doors to empty rooms, replacing light bulbs, and planting extra trees in the yard. Closing the doors to empty rooms eliminates any empty space that may need heating or cooling. Replace any incandescent lights that exist in your home with compact fluorescent lights. Extra plants and trees in the yard are helpful in the summer as the foliage protects your home from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
Implementing these solutions will not only cut energy costs but help the resale value of your home not to mention there are many federal tax credits available through 2016 which can be found dsireusa.org.
