|
As the weather
warms, take the opportunity to consider some spring and summer
energy saving ideas.
-
Keep the
pilot light off on your natural gas fireplace during the summer
months and when it is not being used regularly.
-
Book your
furnace servicing. The summer is an ideal time to arrange for
furnace service since your wait for an appointment will be much
shorter than trying for a fall or winter booking.
Natural Gas
Substantial
savings can be realized by cooking with your natural gas barbecue.
Additionally,
you benefit by keeping the temperature cooler in your house than
if you used your oven.
Suitable window coverings will improve the comfort level in your
home immensely by keeping the sun's rays out in the summer and by
adding a layer of insulation to keep your home warmer in the
winter. Anything from heavy, insulated blinds to matchstick shades
will work and can even be temporarily installed on the outside of
your home. Consider tacking a cover over your skylights on the
roof in the summer months. Keep these coverings over your windows
when the sun's rays are aimed in their direction.
When trying to
keep the house cool, consider using fans rather than air
conditioners.
Fans use less
energy and can be turned on as needed when a room is occupied.
Use ceiling
fans. Circulating air effectively in large areas can assist in
keeping rooms at uniform temperatures.
Effective
landscaping can also have an impact on your home’s energy
efficiency. When planning your landscaping, consider the following
strategies:
Shade Trees
-
Plant leafy
green trees on the sunny side of your home.
-
Their summer
leaves provide cool shade, and their bare winter branches let
the warm sunlight through.
-
Use evergreen
trees and shrubs to create a windbreak. A windbreak will reduce
wind speed for a distance of as much as 30 times the windbreak’s
height. The most common method is to plant the evergreens to the
north and northwest of your home.
-
If snow tends
to drift in your yard, plant low shrubs on the windward side of
your windbreak. The shrubs will trap snow before it blows next
to your home.
|
