Putting Together A Comprehensive Energy-Savings Plan

Saving energy is saving money. When you use less energy, not only will your HVAC system have to work less, but you won’t have to worry so much about high utility bills breaking the bank.

An energy savings plan may be the best way to reduce your energy use and your energy bills. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives these tips for starting an energy plan:

• Find out how much money you spend on a regular basis for your energy usage.
• Figure out in what areas you lose the most energy.
• Research the added benefits of efficiency upgrades such as proper insulation and energy-efficient windows. Calculate how long it would take such upgrades to pay off in energy savings.
• Discuss how long you might own your current home. Will the upgrades be worthwhile to you? Will they improve the value of your home?
• See if you need to hire a professional to do the upgrades or if you can do them yourself.
• Check your budget and make sure to know how much time you can spend on maintenance and repairs.

As for things you can do yourself, there are some relatively simple ways you can save energy that can be part of an energy savings plan for your home.
Some ways the DOE recommends to save energy are to:

• Make sure you have the proper insulation levels in your home, including in the basement, attic and crawl spaces.
• Make sure no cracks or holes are present around doors, windows, ceilings, lights, plumbing or electrical outlets that could leak air from your home.
• Make sure all fireplace dampers are closed.
• Keep your appliances and HVAC systems regularly maintained.
• Keep an eye out for opportunities to reduce lighting energy and use with timers, dimmers or energy-efficient light bulbs.

Blanton’s Heating and Air Conditioning has been serving the Fayetteville area since 1951. Contact us today to for any questions about your energy savings plan.