One of the biggest costs of home ownership can be cooling and heating your home. Homeowners are trying to reduce costs by making their home energy efficient with home improvements. Thankfully, you don't have to turn down your air conditioner to save money. These tips will help you keep your house comfortable while improving energy efficiency.
Add Insulation
A crucial element to an energy efficient home is insulation. If your house is poorly insulated, the air that you spent energy on to cool or heat will find a way to seep out of your home. It's common to have an older home that may be lacking proper insulation, especially when it comes to the attic and your walls.
An amazing innovation in insulation is spray foam, which does a much better job than traditional batt insulation. This can be sprayed in your attic to form tight seals around joists and gaps. Small holes can be made in your interior walls to install spray foam between the studs. The end result will be a home that is air tight and keeps your home comfortable through the summer and winter seasons.
Get An HVAC Tune Up
An HVAC system that is not properly maintained won't run very efficiently. Have a professional come to your home to give your HVAC unit a tune up when you start to notice that it is running more often than not, or when it's unable to get the air to the desired temperature. It's possible that they will discover simple fixes that can improve the efficiency of the entire HVAC system. This could include things like a coolant leak that isn't getting the air cold when the air conditioner is running.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
Many homeowners make the mistake of using ceiling fans as an alternative to air conditioning. They can actually help circulate the air so that your HVAC system doesn't need to work as hard.
Making the blades spin counterclockwise in the summer will help produce a breeze in a room by pulling the cool air up towards the ceiling. Making the blades spin the opposite direction in the winter will help pull the warm air downwards that would normally be trapped near your ceiling. If the room is able to stay closer to the desired temperature due to circulation, your HVAC system won't run as often.
If you need help doing any of these things, especially when it comes to installing insulation, reach out to a professional contractor in your area.
To learn more, contact a company like Combat Foam Insulation Inc.
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