Poor efficiency in your Frederick, Maryland, home can cause a number of issues. You may notice rising energy bills, drafty areas, uneven heating and cooling, and even a drop in indoor air quality due to concerns with HVAC efficiency. Making a few upgrades within your home can improve the efficiency and keep your bills under control.
Upgrade and Use Your Windows
The windows in your home can play a major role in the overall energy efficiency of the space. If your windows are outdated, they may be allowing air to escape. Sitting near an inefficient window often feels cold during the winter and hot during the summer as any gaps around the window tend to allow in drafts, as well as allow heated or cooled air to move outside. Upgrading your windows can improve the efficiency drastically, especially if you opt for units with higher ratings. In the meantime, fill those gaps around the windows with caulk or weather stripping to prevent air loss.
During the winter season, it’s also smart to use your windows to take advantage of natural heating. When the sun is up during the day, pull back your curtains and open the blinds to allow sunlight to come into the home. This can warm up the room by several degrees without requiring any extra energy usage, helping to maintain a more comfortable atmosphere while keeping your bills under control.
Add More Insulation
Insulation also impacts how well your home can hold in heated and cooled air. Insufficient insulation is often a key culprit of poor efficiency and an uncomfortable indoor atmosphere. The cost of the upgrade will depend on the age of your home, how much insulation you have, and what type of insulation you plan to add. If you can’t insulate all the walls in the home, consider investing in upgraded insulation for the attic, where much of the home’s energy is lost. The insulation should be at least 10 inches in thickness to provide maximum efficiency and keep air from escaping.
Have Your Ducts Cleaned
The ducts that connect to your heating and cooling system can also impact energy efficiency. Over time, the metal ductwork tends to get overloaded with debris, such as dust, pollen, pet hair, dander, and other contaminants. As a result, the HVAC system has to work harder to move air through the constricted space, which uses more energy and causes your bills to increase.
Having your ducts cleaned regularly can prevent this problem, as well as keep the air in your home clean and healthy. Since indoor air quality is a growing problem, as well, this service addresses it while also improving your home’s efficiency.
Program Your Thermostat
Manually adjusting your thermostat is a habit that can waste a lot of energy. Instead of making manual adjustments every time you want to alter the indoor temperature, take a few minutes to set up a schedule. Programming your thermostat can save a lot of energy because it limits how often the system has to cycle on and off. It also allows the unit to run more consistently, rather than going through shorter cycles or having to work harder to achieve a temperature that you’ve set.
When you’re typically away from home or asleep, adjust the temperature by about 10 degrees from what you prefer when you’re awake and at home to further reduce energy consumption. If you want to take your energy savings to the next level, consider upgrading to a smart thermostat that can track your habits and usage and make automatic adjustments.
Replace Outdated Appliances
Another way to boost your home’s efficiency is to replace any appliances that may be using excess energy. Look for options that are Energy Star–certified to maximize your energy savings. Although they cost a bit more upfront, they can help keep your bills under control every time you use them.
At Griffith Energy Services, our HVAC experts can help with many of the tasks associated with improving your home’s energy efficiency, so contact us to learn more.
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