Remember These Tips Before Back to School Drop Off
It is almost that time of year when students and teachers around the country will be heading back to school. And what better time to learn something new than now! For homeowners, in particular, this is a great time of year to see how they currently care for their homes and how they might better care for their homes when it comes to efficiency.
In particular, there are a number of different tips and tricks that homeowners can employ to save themselves money that they could instead be put toward the cost of new school supplies for their children! Continue reading for some of the best changes homeowners can make to save themselves money now and going forward.
Close Window Curtains and Blinds
Pro-tip number one is to close the window curtains and blinds. The biggest benefit of this action is that curtains and blinds can prevent excessive sunlight from entering the home. During hot summer days, especially, high volumes of sunlight can raise indoor temperatures, which forces the air conditioning system to work even harder to achieve the desired cooling settings.
Of course, homeowners and their families probably enjoy looking outside, which is impossible when the curtains and blinds are closed. Thus, a great way to start is to close the curtains and blinds when the family is out of the house. In this way, they can still enjoy looking out when they are home, but they can save money by decreasing the strain on the AC system when they are not home.
Raise Thermostat Temperatures
Pro-tip number two is to raise the thermostat temperatures to save on monthly utility bills. This essentially means raising the “maximum” cool setting so that air conditioning is activated slightly less. Maybe homeowners set it to 70 degrees instead of 68. The delta does not have to be huge for it to make a meaningful difference.
Of important note, similar to the discussion about the window curtains and blinds, this does not mean that homeowners and their families have to suffer without air conditioning when they are at home. Rather, this is a change they can make during the hours when they are not at home. Perhaps they are going to be out for four hours during the middle of the day. Right before they leave, they can raise the thermostat settings, and when they arrive home, they can lower the settings back down!
Replace Air Filters Regularly
Pro-tip number three is to replace the air conditioning filters regularly. Specifically, homeowners should replace their filters at least once every three months - perhaps more often if they run their air conditioners frequently. The key idea here is that air filters trap particles that are circulating through the air. This dust and debris accumulates fast, and this can have future consequences if not managed responsibly.
In particular, it can make the air conditioning systems run less efficiently since it impacts airflow. The AC system will have to work even harder to achieve the same cooling effect when the filters are jammed up with debris. Filter replacement improves efficiency, which therefore saves energy costs!
About Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical
Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical of Lansing, MI has delivered best-in-class solutions since 1984. With the belief that simply “getting the job done” is not enough, their team of experts prioritize the most accurate workmanship and highest quality products for each and every one of their customers. Give them a call for air conditioning help today!
3 Ways To Save Money on Holiday Decorations During This Season
The holiday season has a tendency to be the most expensive time of the year. Family and friends buy gifts for each other. People schedule holiday get-togethers and cook extravagant meals. Holiday decorations go up that cost money to operate. With all the hustle and bustle, it's important to save money when the opportunity arises. Luckily, by taking a few simple steps, homeowners can lower a few of those pesky bills that increase with the holiday season.
Switch To LEDs
Old holiday lights are quickly being phased out by newer technology. It’s little surprise that so many people are making the switch. Old incandescent holiday lights were expensive to purchase, difficult to decorate with, and costly to operate. Not to mention that they were commonly a fire hazard because of the heat they produced.
New LED technology saves the holidays like Rudolph. LED lights are superior to their older counterparts in every way. One of the main benefits of LED lighting is the money that they can save while they operate. Any light that produces heat is wasting lighting efficiency. LEDs operate at far lower temperatures than incandescent lights, so they are able to put out far brighter light while consuming much less electricity.
Since they put out less heat, they are also safer to decorate with by reducing the risk of a fire.
Schedule One Baking Day
Holiday meals are one of the best parts of the season. Friends and families gather together to make decadent meals that leave everyone satisfied. Part of these meals always includes cookies, pies, and other baked holiday goodies. Most people don’t know that doing all the baking in one day can save a noticeable amount of money on energy bills.
When holiday bakers fire up the oven, they will notice that it takes a while to heat up to the proper temperature. If bakers are planning on baking multiple desserts for the season, there’s no reason to heat the oven up multiple times over the course of several days.
Each time the oven is preheated, that energy goes to waste, reflected in high electricity bills. Instead, try planning ahead and doing all of the baking in one day instead of across several.
Put Decorations on Timer
Decorations are fun and add to the atmosphere of the holiday season. But, unplugging and turning off all of those decorations every night can get to be a hassle. It is recommended not to leave decorations unattended, such as when homeowners leave them on and go to bed. To avoid the hassle of turning off all of those decorations, homeowners can put lights on a timer, so they don’t have to worry about it.
The benefits of timers are twofold. First, decorations will be safer because they won’t always be on. An added benefit is that decorations on a timer give the illusion that people are home for the holidays even when families go on vacations or visit family. The second benefit of timers is the savings in electricity. Homeowners can save a lot of money by turning decorations off automatically overnight.
About Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical
Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical’s electrical division is their latest addition to the comprehensive home services they have provided to Lansing since 1984. Now homeowners can take advantage of electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and remodeling services by only dealing with one company. Their firm pricing and satisfaction guarantees make them the best choice for any trade. Trust Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical with all your Lansing electrical service needs.
We have the manpower to get to your door fast, with a fleet of service vehicles and an in-house team of local experts and technicians.
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