One of the biggest factors that influences your utility bills are the cost of heating and cooling your home. Whether you heat with electricity, propane, natural gas, or some other heating oil you can save money just by following a few simple steps that you can do right at your home without any technical knowledge or tools of any sort. These tips for improving the energy efficiency of heating and cooling in southeast Michigan can help you save on your utility bill and likely increase the longevity of your heating and cooling systems.
Heating and Cooling in Southeast Michigan Tips to Save Energy
One of the biggest tips you can know is that servicing your unit should be done by professionals. Your HVAC system is complicated and should only be serviced by trained professionals. These tips that I offer on heating and cooling in southeast Michigan are for home owner use and do not require you to service the unit.
So the first tip would be to have your unit serviced regularly by a trained technician. They can test vital system parts and make sure that all the parts in the unit are clean of debris or dirt that could decrease performance of the unit. Your unit needs to be serviced each year for best results.
Inspect the Outside Unit
For Michigan residents the Air Conditioning unit may be on the exterior of the home. One big problem that happens with the exterior unit is debris building up around the unit. Most units require air to cool freon and internal parts. When mowing your yard be sure that grass clippings are not thrown into the unit. They will be vacuumed inside and clog the coil. Fallen leaves can also wreak havoc on exterior units. Keep the area free and clear of debris that may block or restrict air flow over the coils of the system.
Change Your Filters Regularly
If you didn’t catch the article from last week titled: “When Should You Change Your AC or Furnace Filter” be sure to check it out. It can help you better understand why you may need to change your filter more frequently. Changing the filter in your unit can help it move air more efficiently. In doing so, the entire unit is more energy efficient. Make sure your filters are cleaned and replaced regularly.
Does 2 Degrees Matter That Much?
Moving your thermostat up or down just 2 degrees can have a huge impact on your energy costs. For every one degree that you lower your thermostat in the winter can save you as much as 3 percent on your energy costs. Lowering the thermostat 2 degrees means you’ll save up to 6 percent on your energy costs. Alternatively in the summer moving the thermostat up 2 degrees can save 6 percent on energy costs as well.
The question you’ll need to ask yourself is how comfortable are you with those 2 degrees? Typcially, in Michigan the thermostat is set on 70 degrees. Consider moving it a bit and determine if you’re still comfortable. If so, congratulations you just saved on your energy bill!
