There are many reasons to save energy in your home, and we all have our own motivations. Reducing energy costs in your home allows you to spend your hard-earned money on the things you love instead of electricity bills. Reducing your energy usage can also reduce your carbon footprint and make your home more environmentally friendly. 

Reducing your energy costs does not mean that you have to go to extreme lengths or do without your favorite appliances. Energy reduction can be easy. Once you get into a habit of doing a few things differently in your home, you can change your usage. We have compiled a list of 10 things that can be done to reduce your energy cost at home by changing the way you use your HVAC. 

1. Keep Your Blinds and Shades Closed

By closing your blinds and shades while you are not home, you are keeping the sun from raising the temperature inside. This method can lower your energy consumption as your air conditioner will work less to keep your home at the desired temperature. This means that your home can stay cool throughout the day.

2. Make Use of Your Ceiling Fan 

Each season should be treated differently. Take advantage of lowering your energy usage in the home by using your ceiling fan to move air around. This can make your home feel cooler and remove the stuffy atmosphere as the air is circulated. Perhaps a ceiling fan can be used when it’s not necessary to have your AC on full blast.

3. Keep Up with Routine Maintenance 

Making sure regular maintenance is conducted on your AC is essential for your unit to run at peak performance. An HVAC unit will use less energy if it is able to run without unnecessary pressure put on it. If the parts in your HVAC are not being cleaned or replaced when they need to be, your unit will use more energy to do the same amount of work. Maintenance on your AC or heater should be done twice a year by a professional HVAC company. Fix-it 24/7 is a Charleston-based HVAC company servicing all types of heating and cooling systems in Isle of Palms, Wando, Sullivans Island, SC, and surrounding areas. 

4. Operate Your HVAC At Recommended Temperatures 

Some heatwaves may cause us to run our AC at full force just to keep us cool. Unfortunately, by doing this, you will be using a lot more energy. Many systems come with pre-set temperature settings to make sure that you can keep your home cool without running up a frightening bill. This is a good time to know where your owner’s manual is. You can easily find out about the settings on your AC unit or heating unit in your owner’s manual to make sure that your unit is running at a balanced temperature. If you have misplaced your owner’s manual, contact Fix-it 24/7. A qualified technician will advise you on the best temperature setting to run your system. 

5. Seal All Air Leaks 

If there are leaks throughout your ductwork, your heated or conditioned air can escape. This means that your system will continue to work on cooling or heating the air in your home unnecessarily. Making sure that ductwork is sealed well will keep your home at your desired temperature without damaging your unit and costing you a fortune on energy usage. Essentially, your air conditioner will do less work to cool or heat your home and save you money. 

6. Maintain Your Insulation

You might not know it, but poorly insulated walls and roofs can have an immense impact on your indoor temperature and energy usage. Particularly in older homes where outdated, less effective material is used, and conditioned air can be lost. This results in more energy being used to maintain your home’s temperature. If you are unsure about the insulation in your home, contact a professional to advise you on the next step forward, so you can start saving on your energy usage. 

7. Turn Down the Thermostat

Adjusting your thermostat can really make a difference in your utility bill, and you may not even notice the temperature difference. Make sure you drop your temperature one or two degrees in winter and put it up one or two degrees in summer. This is not a noticeable temperature difference, but you could save up to 15% on your energy cost, according to the U.S Department of Energy. It may not sound like a lot, but after doing the math, you will find that you can spend that money on other important things. 

8. Use A Programmable Thermostat 

With the latest technology at our fingertips, we are wasting our time and money using old thermostats that only give us basic functions. By installing a thermostat that can be pre-programmed, you will be able to set your HVAC system to cool or heat the air while you are not at home. 

9. Change Your Filters Regularly

It’s easy to forget about our air filters, but the problems they cause are noticeable and frustrating. Dirty filters can cause our HVAC systems to work harder. Changing filters in your AC unit or heater can lower the energy it requires to heat or cool your home efficiently. 

10. Regular Duct Cleaning

Making sure your ducts are clean and clear of dirt can significantly reduce your energy consumption. A dirty duct can prevent air from moving through it, increasing your energy bills and wearing your unit down quicker than necessary. 

Professional HVAC in Charleston 

Fix-it 24/7 offers only the best service in the industry. For all air conditioning and heating system installations, repairs, maintenance, and tune-ups in Charleston, Isle of Palms, Wando, Sullivans Island, SC, and surrounding areas, rely on Fix-it 24/7.

Call us now at (843) 350-1638 for more information on our HVAC services so you can save money and protect your investment.