7 Energy-Efficient Ways to Prepare Your Home for Fall and Cooler Weather
by Marie Nieves
These days, the fact we are leaving one hot, exhausting summer behind can seem nothing short of exhilarating. And yes, the first days of September always bring some much-needed freshness and breeze in our lives. But, what most people fail to remember at the height of this autumn euphoria is that this period of cozy temperatures actually lasts very short.
Winter will start showing its nasty face sooner than later, chipping away one autumn day after another. So, instead of sitting on your laurels for too long, you should seriously start preparing your house for these temperature drops and bad weather so you are not caught off guard when the weather starts changing on a daily basis.
The sooner you start, the better.
Let us take a look then at a couple of tips that should get you up to speed and allow you to make your property fall-proof in the fastest and the most energy-efficient manner.
Insulate the roof and basement
Taking into account you are looking for energy-efficient ways to run your household it is safe to assume the benefits of having good insulation. If not, Energy Star estimates say that insulation can trim down your energy expenses by a whole 11%.
The problem here is that most people, even if they decide to use this option, narrow down their focus. This is a big mistake since the basement and roof make up a large portion of your house’s exterior surface. Missing out on them will undermine the results you were trying to get. So, if you want to install insulation do it right and cover these areas as well.
Leverage the benefits of automation
During the late fall and early winter, temperatures tend to take some wild swings in very short periods of time. Trying to keep up with these changes will inevitably keep you lagging behind and cause unnecessary costs produced by AC and HVAC systems.
That is why you should consider using smart technology that not only makes an excellent way to iron out these quirks but also improves the energy efficiency of your house in general. This combination of IoT tech, automation, and precise environmental sensors will do a much better job at re-adjusting these devices than you could possibly have.
Keep your household systems in pristine shape
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Even if you have upgraded your home with cutting-edge systems and devices their performance will inevitably start to drop if they are not properly maintained. That is why you should get in touch with an experienced air conditioning repair service from your area and inspect your vital systems as soon as possible.
Their performance tends to take consistent but ever so slightly drops which are hard to notice on a daily basis. Unless your AC unit and HVAC system are completely new, inspection by a seasoned pro will allow you to move into fall with peace of mind.
Harness the power of the sun
This time, we are not talking about installing solar panels but, if you can afford them or get subsidies from the local government, you shouldn’t write off this option either. We would simply like to point out that even in fall and winter, the sun still represents an excellent source of light and temperature that should be used to the highest possible extent.
So, consider expanding your house’s window space preferably with double-glazed units that do an excellent job of letting the light in and preventing the heat from getting out. If you don’t want to make these investments, know that even the massive curtains placed tightly to the window can do an admirable job of lending another layer of insulation.
Manage the lighting
As soon as fall starts settling in, each day loses one minute of daylight. These intervals quickly add up causing more and more hours you need to spend using artificial lighting. Therefore, it would be a good idea to start looking for companies like Your Electrical Expert which have years of experience in installing efficient lighting systems capable of dealing with this increased demand.
But, even before you start scheduling such upgrades you can replace your existing bulbs with the more contemporary LED or CFL solutions or play with motion sensors to optimize overall consumption.
Use less energy for water heating
It’s not that big of a secret that, as soon as temperatures start dropping, most people start indulging in longer hot baths. Unfortunately, water heaters also make some of the biggest energy consumers in any household. Like previous examples, this problem can be addressed in several ways.
First, you can consider using tankless water heaters that are active only when in use. The second is to follow the rule of thumb that water conservation means less water to heat. With that in mind, even some smaller upgrades like low-flow showerheads can prove to be valuable energy-saving assets.
Learn to efficiently manage household electronics
Shorter days and lower temperatures meant that as soon as winter starts closing you will inevitably spend more time indoors. That, in turn, entails higher energy consumption. It would be a good idea to prevent these expenditures from blowing out of proportion.
You can do that by unplugging the devices that are not currently in use, keeping the oven doors closed when cooking, reversing the direction of your ceiling fans, installing smart energy outlets that can be run from a distance, and using green energy for powering up devices. You would be surprised by the results these small tweaks can produce.
We hope these seven suggestions give you a better idea about the strategies you can do to make sure your household is well-equipped to deal with the higher energy demand that is associated with cold fall and winter months. Of course, these mentions present only the tip of the iceberg and as soon as you start making adjustments you will discover countless new ways to make your home even more energy efficient.
But, you need to roll up your sleeves and start working and these tips will definitely push you in the right direction.
Author bio: Marie Nieves is a passionate blogger with an eye for design, a flair for storytelling, and a love for culture. She contributes regularly to various blogs and online magazines, all while satisfying her wanderlust by exploring states and countries near and far.