ENERGY CONSERVATION TIPS

At South Hills Electric, Heating & Cooling, LLC we know the value of a dollar. With that in mind, we thought we’d share some helpful information about saving money in the home. These tips will not only save you money, but they will also increase your home’s comfort.

Here is a list of some Energy Conservation Tips for you to employ:

  • Your furnace requires routine maintenance, some from you, some from a furnace professional, in order to keep it safe and efficient. Call South Hills Electric, Heating & Cooling, LLC for all your heating and cooling needs.
  • If you keep your thermostat set on 68° in the winter, for every degree you raise or lower the setting, you can see a difference of up to 3% in energy costs.
  • You will get significant savings by lowering the water temperature setting to 120° on your water heater.
  • If your clothes dryer has an automatic cycle, use it, because drying more than needed wastes energy and wears out clothes.
  • If you block or restrict airflow by placing furniture overheating and cooling registers, your heating system and air conditioner will have to work harder.
  • You should check and clean your dryer exhaust vent occasionally and remove lint after each load.
  • You can keep hot water use to a minimum by washing only full loads in washers and dishwashers.
  • You can set up a payment plan for your winter bills that is spread out over the year, not just the winter months. Call your Electric or Gas company and ask to be set-up on Budget Billing.
  • Sealing air leaks is the first and most important step to home comfort.
  • Your hot water tank is usually the second greatest energy user in your home.
  • Air leaks in and out of your home around plumbing and wiring, around windows and doors, and where walls meet ceilings.
  • Lack of adequate weather-stripping can cost you $50.00 or more a year in lost energy cost.
  • Washing clothes in cold water will not only prevent shrinking and fading but will reduce your energy bill.
  • A seven-minute or less shower under a two gallon per minute low-flow showerhead is more efficient than taking a bath in a bathtub full of water.
  • For safety reasons, wrap only the sides of a gas tank. Wrap the sides and top of an electric tank.
  • Install a setback thermostat which will lower the temperature while you sleep, and will raise it automatically just before you wake up.
  • It takes far less energy to lower the thermostat and then raise it later than to keep it set at the same setting at all times.
  • A ¼ inch gap at the base of a three-foot-wide exterior door leaks as much air as a three-inch hole in the wall of your home.