As many of us welcome in the new year this week, we believe this to be an excellent time to encourage our customers to consider making New Year’s Resolutions to keep their energy costs down for 2021.
Afterall, who doesn’t like to save money?
With the typical homeowner in the U.S. spending an estimated $1,400 each year on energy, according to move.org, and almost half of that going to home heating and cooling costs, keeping these two expenses in check will bring significant savings overtime.
At Monroe Heating & Air, we take pride in providing our wonderful customers with the absolute best products and services you’ll find in the area. With each and every service call we get, we make it our mission to provide the most value possible at the most competitive prices, in addition to providing superior HVAC solutions to help everyone keep their home comfortable and energy efficient.
With that said, without further ado, the following is our list of ways to save on energy costs in 2021:
Top 10 Energy Saving Tips for 2021
1. Having a whole-home humidifier installed.
In addition to the health benefits of having a whole-home humidifier during the colder months, the energy savings of these devices can be as much as 20 percent. This is because humidity keeps warmed, forced air inside a home much longer, holding heat and making the heated air feel warmer.
2. Think about your thermostat.
It only takes a moment to adjust your thermostat. If you’re able to turn it down a little lower during the winter, or keep it a little higher during the summer, adjust it accordingly because the savings could easily shave off an estimated $30 a month from overall energy bills.
Having said that, however, having a Smart Thermostat or Wi-Fi Thermostat installed will save you even more money, and pay for itself in no-time. That’s because these devices can be controlled from your smartphone or other device and they learn your habits so they can adjust themselves when you are sleeping or while you are away at work.
3. Close off chimney flue.
Although having a fire in a residential fireplace feels nice and warm and adds to holiday ambiance, leaving a flue damper open during the colder months is expensive as it draws out a lot of warm air in a hurry. This will force your system into working overtime to heat your home while making energy bills go sky high while putting strain on your system that causes wear and tear.
4. Keep air registers, radiators and baseboard heaters open and clean.
In addition to cleaning them, make sure you don’t have any carpeting, furniture or draperies blocking any of these areas where heat emanates. Putting furniture or anything else over registers, or in front of radiators blocks, the amount of heat that these registers/radiators can emit into the room, thus causing your system to have to run longer cycles, which will cost you more money to operate.
5. Maintenance is a must. Get a Tune-Up every year.
A furnace tune-up, which comes with seasonal maintenance, will save you money and keep you safe while helping you stay more comfortable all winter long. Moreover, having a professional tune up your heating system is also the best way to avoid having to deal with emergency breakdowns, which tend to happen suddenly, and often when you least expect it. The same goes for having your AC serviced during the spring before cooling season.
6. Look for leaks in ductwork.
If you have damaged or loose ductwork that’s letting air leak out, identifying and repairing these air leaks will save you substantially over time. Because it is crucial to keep all the warm air you are paying for inside your home, and keep your system running like it was designed to, if you suspect any sort of issues with your ductwork, give us a call right away for help!
7. Replace all your air filters on schedule.
When air filters are clogged and need to be replaced, they can cause your system to have to work far more harder than it should, adding strain and causing premature wear and tear on your HVAC systems as they struggle to provide the set temperature levels you require to keep you and your loved ones safe and comfortable. By checking and replacing your air filters regularly, like every month during the winter, you save more by spending a little.
8. Consider upgrading your windows if they’re older.
Although this can be expensive, newer windows that are designed to save energy can pay for themselves over time. Getting a quote with the estimated savings will give you an idea of how much you’d be saving. Most of these estimates are free, aside from the cost of your time.
9. Lower water temp on dishwasher and washing machine.
Dishwashers and washing machines use a lot of hot water from your home’s water supply and when they’re done they drain it in a hurry. Keep in mind that heating up all that water is far more expensive in colder weather, and you can get by just fine by using water that’s not so hot. As such, lowering the temperature settings on these devices will save you money.
10. Replace aging HVAC equipment before it’s too outdated.
If your furnace, heat pump or AC system is more than 10 to 15 years old, it’s a good idea to start to plan to replace them. By planning ahead, you can avoid unexpected equipment failure, costly repair bills, and you’ll be able install the new equipment at a time that’s convenient. A lot of our customers find the energy savings of a new system compared to their old one, the differences in their energy costs, to be drastic. In many cases, it justifies removing the old system when you consider the cost of repairing one that’s still going to need to be replaced. Moreover, this is also a good time to think about having a smart thermostat or an air quality device like a humidifier installed — because these devices come cheaper with the purchase of a new system and they improve energy efficiency while enabling you to customize your home comfort level.
Don’t delay giving us a call!
For homeowners looking to save on energy costs and/or optimize their home’s heating and cooling equipment in 2021, keep in mind that there’s no substitute for seasonal maintenance and vigilance. Smart homeowners save money by being proactive with their home’s HVAC equipment, rather than being reactive.
If you’re interested in any of the products or services mentioned above, or to learn more or to book an appointment with an expert technician, call Monroe Heating & Air today at (513) 540-4890, or schedule an appointment now by clicking here!
In the meantime, from our family to yours: Have a Happy New Year!
