How to Cut Down on Your Home Energy Costs

Every year, while large portions of the rest of the country are bundling up for the winter, folks here in Florida are using their air conditioners to stay cool.

And if you’re a South Florida homeowner, you know what this does to your monthly Home Energy Costs. Our high impact hurricane windows can help with this, as they’re designed to promote energy efficiency as well as protect your home.

But while these windows can provide savings of up to 60 percent, they aren’t the only way to lower your cooling costs. Read on to discover some other ways you can lower your energy bill.

1 – Lights off

Whenever you leave a room, make sure the lights are off. The same goes for when you’re leaving the house. It lowers your electrical costs and helps your bulbs burn longer.

2 – TV vs AC

Believe it or not, your television can affect your air conditioning costs. How? By keeping a TV set — or a lamp — close to your thermostat, you’re forcing your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to, because the thermostat will register the heat coming off your appliances and think the room is warmer than it actually is.

3 – Six percent, six degrees

Increasing the temperature on our AC by six degrees — 72 F to 78 F — can help you trim up to six percent off your home energy costs. Your system won’t work as hard, which means fewer calls to your local HVAC company, leading to additional savings.

4 – Wash on cold

Wash your clothing with the washer on the cold setting to save electricity. Most of the energy your washer uses goes towards heating up water. Cold water works just as well as warm and keeps your clothing protected.

Another laundry-related energy tip? Hang your clothes on the clothesline to dry outdoors. You’ll not only save energy, you’ll have fresh-smelling laundry.

5 – Use a smart thermostat

With a smart thermostat, you can adjust your AC temperature anytime and anywhere, even when you’re not at home. You can also program your thermostat to turn the temperature up or down at certain times of the day.

Other things you can do include:

• Trees are your friends. Planting a few on your property creates shade, which helps cool your home and lower your energy bill.
• Keeping your computer running all day will cost you an extra 21 cents per day, which comes out to $75 a year.
• The average home loses roughly 20 percent of its cooled air through its ductwork. Have your ducts inspected and professionally sealed to make sure you’re not wasting energy.

6 – Sustainable Windows for Your Home

While these are steps you can mostly take care of on your own, installing energy efficient sustainable windows requires professional help.

That’s where the team at Florida Window Experts comes in. Based in Boca Raton, we specialize in energy efficient windows for residential and commercial properties.

These sustainable windows will give you peace of mind, keeping cool air indoors where it belongs while protecting your property from storm damage. Contact us today to learn more.