While winter has a distinct set of energy difficulties than spring or summer, home energy efficiency is year-round. Whether there is 2 feet of snow outside or the sun is shining brightly, making your house more energy efficient may help you save all year.
As the weather warms up, now is an excellent time to start thinking about a strategy for conserving energy and money as we enter a new season.
1. Use the Natural Light
Spring has here, and the days are finally growing longer, lessening the need for artificial illumination. Lighting accounted for around 4% of total household power usage in the United States in 2021, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Using natural light through your windows to light your house, commonly known as daylighting, can minimize this contribution and the associated expenses.
According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), North-, east-and west-facing windows are the best for daylighting. While east-facing windows are fantastic for morning light and west-facing windows are great for evening light, the US DOE warns that they may invite unwelcome heat during the coming summer months. US DOE says North-facing windows let in a lot of natural light, with low glare and almost no unwanted summer heat gain.
2. Create a Cross-Breeze
Is the temperature outdoors cooler than it is inside your house? Open your windows to let the hot air go and welcome the cooler air to take its place. Creating a cross-breeze by opening windows right across from one another is an excellent technique. It cools the area directly in the line of the airflow, making it perfect for smaller spaces such as an apartment.
To create a chimney appearance, open windows at the lowest and tallest places in your home. Cool air will enter through the lowest point’s windows, and as it warms, the air will rise and go up, finally exiting through the topmost point’s windows. It’s best to allow the air a longer path if you have a larger home or a location with numerous floors.
3. Place a Fan on Your Basement Stairs
Use all of your fans while we’re on the subject of fans! Ceiling fans for when you’re in the room, bathroom fans for when you’re showering, and exhaust fans for when you’re cooking are all examples. They’ll all assist in minimizing moisture and keep your home cooler, which means your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard! Make the most of the cold basement air by propping the door open and placing a box fan there to bring the cool air upwards to your main living areas.
According to the US DOE, you may adjust your thermostat setting by 4 degrees without feeling a change if you utilize your ceiling fan (make sure it’s facing the appropriate way!).
4. Revamp Your Landscaping
Working outside on your landscaping this spring/summer might be precisely the thing to help you save energy and money this season and for years to come if you’re looking for a spring/summer project.
Did you know that an energy-efficient landscaping layout may save cooling expenses by 15% to 50% in an unshaded home? According to studies, shade may reduce the temperature of the surrounding air by up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit!
According to the US DOE, air temperatures directly beneath trees can be up to 25 degrees cooler than air temperatures over the surrounding blacktop.
The US Department of Energy and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) provides some landscaping suggestions for the Massachusetts area:
Provide sun protection for south and west windows/walls.
For roof shade, plant deciduous trees to the south of your residence. Within the first year, a 6-foot to the 8-foot deciduous tree will begin to shade your windows, and in 5-10 years, it will shade your roof.
Plant trees with lower crowns for protection from the low afternoon light (to the west).
Shade the ground around your house with trees, bushes, and groundcover plants. It reduces heat transfer and cools the air before it reaches your home.
Conclusion:
There are several strategies to conserve energy and money this season and all subsequent seasons, and we, Energy Mass Save, can help with that. We provide no-cost House Energy Assessments to MA residents like you if you’re interested in learning more about how your home consumes energy. One of the benefits of doing an evaluation is that you’ll be eligible for all the rebates and incentives of the Mass Save program, such as 100% off air sealing, 75%-100 per cent off the insulation, and up to $10,000 in heat pump rebates, and more! So, if you have any questions coming to your mind, then Energy Mass Save is the best place to get the answers. To get further details, visit our website energymasssave.com or call us; we are happy to be at your service.