Reducing energy consumption in your Florida house is not only good for the environment but will also save you money. There are best practices that you can observe throughout the year. This blog provides home energy conservation guidance – Florida.
Managing Temperature
An electronic thermostat saves money on heat and air conditioning. Rather than leaving your heating or cooling on all day, a programmable thermostat gives you the option to routinely adjust the temperature at different points of the day. This also prevents you from forgetting to decrease the settings when you leave home or while you are sleeping.
Heating
How you adjust the temperature in a house can be affected by the type of heating system. Forced hot air units warm a living area very quickly, whereas hot water systems take dramatically more time. If you have a forced hot air unit, drop the settings by a larger amount and set it to increase immediately before you plan to be home. For hot water systems, allow the system more time to return to the desired temperature.
Cooling
Placement of air conditioners is important. For central units, the most optimal location for vents is close to the ceiling since cold air falls. For portable units, keep them away from entryways that open often and where air can easily escape.
Electronics
Appliances use electricity even when they are not running. For example, an LCD or plasma TV consumes roughly 400 watts when turned on and 4 watts when powered off. When you add up all of the electronics in a residence, this can lead to a lot of idle electricity over the course of time. Take the time to unplug electronics that are not being used. To simplify this, install a surge protector with multiple electronics plugged in and shutting the entire surge protector off.
Water Usage
Water is probably the most wasted resources in Florida homes. As a simple first step, do not leave water running while brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Promptly address plumbing leaks or running toilets. Evaluate water efficient toilets or place a filled water bottle into the tanks of current toilets to reduce the amount of water held for flushing. Low-flow faucets and shower fixtures can also help. These alterations will save on both water and sewer charges.
Minimizing Air Escape
Keep doors and windows shut to retain the heating or cooling in your Florida residence. If you have entry ways with two sets of doors, avoid having both open simultaneously. This will reduce the amount of air that escapes your residence.
Use of Light
Make use of natural sunlight whenever possible to brighten and warm up interior spaces. Use solar powered exterior fixtures. Energy saving light bulbs can be purchased at local hardware stores and most are brighter and run longer than their traditional counterparts, making the benefits of switching obvious.
Home Energy Conservation Guidance – Florida
A few of the home energy conservation guidance – Florida above are quick fixes while others require you to be more conscious of your energy waste. Together, they can result in some savings on your routine utility bills. Exercise energy reduction at all times in your Florida home to gain the most benefit from your efforts.
