It’s wintertime in Kentuckiana and that means higher heating bills for most of us. Our HVAC units are working overtime and it might feel like you’re just throwing money out the window when the utility bill arrives each month.
We can all stand to save a little money here and there, and that may be possible by making a few simple changes. There are many things we can do inside the house to save money on electricity. Most of them are simple practices that just require discipline and a little effort. Here are the most important.
- Running Ceiling Fans – This is the number one offender of wasting electricity. Ceiling fans use an incredible amount of electricity and most of the time they are kept running non-stop even when nobody is in the room. The solution is simple. Flip the switch. Turn off the fan when you leave the room or invest in a timer that is programmable.
- TV watching – Even though a television gives off a more evident signal of being in use, televisions are still regularly left on when not being watched. Usually, multiple televisions are running at once and not being watched. The second biggest waste of energy is televisions running endlessly. When not being watched, they should be turned off and for ultimate conservation, put on a power strip. When not in use televisions still use energy, so place them on a power strip and turn that off when not in use.
- Lights – This is common sense, but not common practice. Lights inside and outside the house are left on when not necessary causing needless energy use and expense. For optimal usage put lights on a motion sensor or a timer.
- HVAC and Bathroom Fans – Never leave a bathroom fan running for more than 30 minutes, it’s not necessary. Also in the fan department, check your thermostat setting and make sure it is set on “auto” not “on” or your HVAC will run continuously.
- Light Bulbs – Lots of debate still lingers over which light bulbs to use, but CFL and LED bulbs are much more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. The prices are coming down and the quality continues to go up, so make the switch. It will pay off.
Keep your energy costs under control this winter by making a habit of turning off unused appliances, lights, and fans.
Call VanKleef Heating and Air Conditioning (812) 280-0510 for all your furnace repair in Southern Indiana and Louisville, KY.