Fall is here in the Sacramento area, and that means you’re probably still reeling from those high AC bills. Fortunately, with just a few steps of preventative maintenance, you can keep your energy bills low throughout the year. Fall is the perfect time to take an inventory of your home and see what it needs to become more energy efficient. Here are a few money saving tips you may want to add to your fall checklist.
Learn About Your Home with an Energy Audit
If you want to make your home more energy efficient, it’s a good idea to start with an energy audit. An energy audit will tell you where your home is wasting energy and which improvements will help you save on energy costs in the long run. Your energy auditor will run a blower door test to measure how much outside air is entering your home and use an infrared camera to locate areas of air leakage and poor insulation. Then, your auditor will recommend home performance upgrades such as air sealing and insulation that will make your home more energy efficient.
Improve Your Home’s Air Sealing & Insulation
Air sealing and insulation are two of the best ways you can improve energy efficiency in your home. Air sealing prevents conditioned air from seeping out of your home while keeping outdoor air from entering. Insulation reduces heat transfer, keeping heat inside your home during the winter and keeping it out during the summer. When you get an energy audit done by a home performance expert, you can find out exactly where your home needs to be air sealed and insulated to improve efficiency.
Upgrade to High-Performance Windows
When you know your home is already well sealed and insulated, upgrading your windows could be the ticket to lower energy costs. High-performance windows will prevent outdoor heat or cold from influencing indoor temperatures, meaning your home’s heating and cooling systems don’t have to work as hard to keep your home comfortable. You’ll see lower energy bills as a result, plus a higher overall home value.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats give homeowners better control over how their homes are heated and cooled, even allowing them to control the temperature inside their homes remotely. By making the right adjustments on a programmable thermostat, you can enhance home comfort, increase energy savings, and reduce energy costs. If you want to save money by running your heating and cooling systems only when you need them, you should definitely consider having a programmable thermostat installed in your home.
Take the Long View
Remember — energy efficiency upgrades can be an investment at the outset, but they will make a major difference in home energy costs in the long run. You may be put off by the upfront cost of LED lighting, for example, but when you break down the numbers, you’ll find that LED lighting is much more affordable due to its longer lifespan and energy saving capabilities.
Whether you live right in Sacramento or outside of the city in Rocklin, Roseville, or Lincoln, you can trust Brower Mechanical to help you make your home more energy efficient. We help homeowners in the area make smart, energy saving upgrades that add lasting value to their homes.
Ready to rake in the savings with the right home performance upgrades? Contact us or call (916) 775-7492 to get started!