Reducing energy consumption in your Woburn MA property is not only helpful to the environment but will also reduce your expenses. There are best practices that you can implement all year long. This article provides Woburn MA property energy conservation advice.
Thermostat Settings
An electronic thermostat saves money on heat and air conditioning. Rather than leaving your heat or A/C on while you are away from home, you can program your system to increase or decrease at different times of day. This also prevents you from forgetting to turn your thermostat down when you leave your house or while you are sleeping.
Heating Tips
The strategy to manage the temperature in a home may relate to the type of heating system. Forced hot air units raise the temperature of a space in a short amount of time, whereas hot water systems take significantly longer. If you have a forced hot air heater, drop the settings significantly and set it to increase shortly before you plan to return home. Hot water systems need more time to heat up, so it is best not to drop the temperature too low and to also allow it more time to warm back up.
Air Conditioning Advice
Give extra thought into where you place air conditioners. For central units, the ideal location for vents is near the ceiling because cold air falls. For free-standing units, keep them a good distance from doorways that open frequently and where air can easily escape.
Electronics
Appliances use energy even when they are not running. For example, an LCD or plasma TV consumes around 400 watts when turned on and 4 watts when not in use. When you consider all of the electronics in a house, this can add up to a lot of idle electricity over the course of time. Think about unplugging electronics that are not regularly used. To simplify this, attach multiple cords to a surge protector that can be powered off.
Water Waste
Water is one of the most misused resources in Woburn MA residences. As a first step, do not leave water running when brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Immediately correct plumbing leaks or running toilets. Evaluate dual flush toilets or place a water displacement object into the tanks of older toilets to reduce the amount of water used for flushing. Low-flow faucets and shower heads can also help. These measures will save on both water and sewer expenses.
Monitoring Air Escape
Keep doors and windows shut to maintain the heat or cooling in your Woburn MA home. If you have entry ways with two sets of doors, close one door before opening the other. This will reduce the amount of air that escapes your space.
Lighting
Make use of natural sunlight whenever possible to illuminate and warm up interior spaces. Use solar powered exterior fixtures. Low energy use light bulbs can be purchased at local hardware stores and most are brighter and run longer than their normal alternatives, making the benefits of switching clear.
Woburn MA Property Energy Conservation Advice
Many of the Woburn MA property energy conservation advice above are quickly implemented while others require you to be more conscious of your energy usage. Together, they can lead to some savings on your recurring utility bills. Practice energy reduction year round in your Woburn MA property to see the most benefit from your efforts.