Four Ways to Make Your Home Greener this Earth Day
In April every year, as Spring renews the world around us, Earth Day calls to the responsible citizen in all of us. Especially here in the Rocky Mountains, with so much of nature’s glory spread before us. We become acutely aware of what we’re eating, how we’re handling trash, what we can do to reduce/reuse/recycle, the state of the air we breathe, the speed of global warming…and so it goes. Whether we know how to take action is another story.
This year, we’re sharing ways you can take action now, in your own environment, the most important one to each of us – your home. Here are four ways to make your home greener this Earth Day.
Some of the steps you can take to live greener at home are simple. You can update, replace, or add additional insulation to your home to help keep cold air out in the winter, and warm air out in the summer. Install energy-efficient light bulbs, and close blinds or add films to your windows to reduce the amount of solar heat entering your home during the day.
Turn off lights in rooms no one is using and close vents and doors to minimize the need to heat seldom-used rooms. All of these things will reduce the amount of energy your home uses and help your systems perform more efficiently.
Control the Energy Output with a Programmable Thermostat
As with much of today’s technology, programmable or smart thermostats can do a plethora of things. One of the best things about them is the ability to operate your home’s HVAC systems efficiently. Some of the options they allow include:
- Create zones in your home and set temperatures according to how often they are used.
- Program your system to run more during the hours you’re home, less during the times when you’re not.
- Automatically turn down the temperature at night while you sleep or based on any other criteria you’d like.
- Set it to notify you of power outages, and other emergencies, and make informed decisions in times of crisis.
- Control all of it from your mobile device.
The ultimate outcome is that you’re using less energy to power your heating and cooling systems, and your systems will last longer. This is beneficial to both the environment – and your bottom line.
Minimize Excessive Energy Use with HVAC Maintenance
To make sure that any home heating and cooling system is running at peak levels of performance and maximizing efficiency, keep up with your HVAC maintenance.
First, change your air filters regularly – ideally once a month, but at minimum, once per quarter. The more clogged your filters are, the harder your system must work to maintain desired levels in your home, and the more energy it uses to do so. In addition to making sure you’re being as energy efficient as possible, changing your filters also improves the quality of the air in your home. That way, you and your family breathe in fewer allergens and other airborne contaminants and remain healthier.
Second, have your HVAC system tuned up annually. Not only does this help ensure systems are running efficiently, but it can also help ward off costly repairs and even replacements, minimizing your expenditures over the long term. Your mechanical systems are one of the most important investments in your home, and you need to maintain them just like you would your car. For the greatest benefit, consider high-performance, permanent air filters.
Alleviate Energy Loss by Having Your Ducts Inspected
A duct cleaning professional can perform a duct inspection, possibly as part of a home energy audit, in conjunction with a duct cleaning operation, or separately. Why is it important to have your ducts inspected? Because as much as 30% of the energy in your home can be lost through leaks in your home’s duct system. Your system will work harder to make up for that loss, and you’ll spend more on utility costs.
By identifying and correcting leaks in your home’s ductwork, you’ll not only save energy, but you’ll reduce the particles you and your family are breathing. These particles can enter the airflow in your home through leaks in your ducts. Having your ducts inspected, cleaned and sanitized, and sealed with Aeroseal Duct Sealing is an excellent series of steps to living a cleaner, greener, and healthier life.
Identify Your Home Energy Problems with an Energy Audit
To find the best ways to do all of it…call a home HVAC professional like All American Heating to have an energy audit performed at your home. Energy audits can find out what’s NOT green about your home and how you can improve it. Energy audits delve into multiple aspects of your home’s energy efficiency by:
Testing your home’s exterior envelope. The envelope consists of all the points at which air – and heat and energy – can enter and exit your home. Thermal imaging cameras can show where your home is losing heat – and energy, and money – and your home services professional can offer solutions to fix it.
Examining the age, energy efficiency, and general well-being of your home’s heating and cooling systems. If your system is more than ten years old, it might be time to upgrade – and that is an opportunity to get a newer, more efficient system that would not only use less energy but could also save you on utility costs in the process.
Whatever steps you take in the interest of Mother Earth this Earth Day, All American Heating is available for all your home heating, cooling, and plumbing needs. We’re here to help you save energy, save money, keep your family safe and healthy, and keep Colorado beautiful.
