Time to give energy efficiency a gold star on your back-to-school checklist! Use these tips to get an “A” as you save money and energy at home.
Before you hit the books, hit the switch: As the kids leave for the school day, remind them to turn off the lights to save energy and money. Save even more by installing lighting controls like smart lighting, dimmers, occupancy sensors and timers.
Teach your thermostat: Since you’ll have fewer people in the house during the day, set the AC temperature a few degrees higher to save on your energy bill. Better yet, get a smart thermostat and “teach” it to do this for you.
Use a smart power strip: Electronics are responsible for approximately 15% of today’s household electricity use. Plugging chargers, computers and gaming equipment into a smart power strip saves money by shutting them down with just one switch.
Load up your laundry: Getting back into gym class, sports and other after-school activities generates more laundry. Wait until you have a full load before running the washing machine. Washing clothes in cold water also can save the average household around $30 a year.
Soak up knowledge … and savings: The average household spends about $300 a year on water heating. Setting your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees is an easy do-it-yourself step that will save about 9% in water heating costs.
Shower smarter: Install a low-flow showerhead with a thermostatic shutoff valve to use less hot water. This showerhead can turn the water off when it gets warm enough, so you know when it’s time to get in. Also, fixing any leaks and changing old showerheads to these special ones can save you a lot of money on heating the water.
Don’t test your refrigerator: How many times do your kids open the refrigerator door in a day? An open door allows warm, moist air in, which makes the compressor work harder. Pick a snack ahead of time, so you don’t leave the door open too long.
Stick to a schedule: Contact your trusted HVAC technician to make sure your furnace can pass its yearly exam and will keep running all winter long. Back-to-school time is also a good time to change your furnace filter.