Did your utility bill just skyrocket?
It’s summer and another month has just come to an end. With the heat here in the greater Sacramento area not slowing down, it’s probably started to show on your electricity bill. If your recent electricity bill was out of control, you might already be looking for some ways to cut back on energy usage. However, with the heat, you still need your air conditioner running to stay comfortable, and although it’ll eventually get cooler, the same problems will just happen again next year.
Maximize the Energy Efficiency of Your Home
The reason your electricity bills are so high is related to the fact that your AC is working overtime to try and keep you cool. While it might seem like the obvious fix to lower your bill is to use your air conditioner less often, it’s not a long-term solution. In order to reduce your bill this summer and have it stay low in the winter and long into the future, you need to make energy efficiency improvements.
Air Sealing & Insulation
The first upgrade you should make is to tighten up your building envelope. By air sealing and adding insulation, you’ll prevent heat from making its way into your home during the summer, and escaping during the winter. This will result in a more comfortable living space, so you won’t have to rely on your air conditioner or heater as much.
Appropriately Sized HVAC Systems
Once your home is properly air sealed and insulated, it’s time to rethink your air conditioner and heating system. Many homes in the Rocklin region actually have HVAC systems that are too big, so they simply consume more energy while not properly cooling or heating. In order to further reduce your energy use and see those utility bills drop even further, make sure you have a professional install an energy efficiency, right-sized HVAC system.
Go Solar
The last step in reducing (or even eliminating) your electricity bill is to go solar. Using the sun’s renewable energy to power your home, you’ll not only lower your bills, but you’ll also be more energy independent, so if electricity rates go up, you won’t be affected.
Benefits of Home Energy Upgrades
In addition to reducing energy use and lowering your energy bills, upgrades like air sealing, insulation, high-efficiency HVAC systems, and solar also have the added benefits of keeping you more comfortable year-round and minimizing your carbon footprint.
The team at Brower Mechanical can help you improve your home’s energy efficiency with expert solutions, so that your bills drop and you get more comfortable while also protecting the environment!