Texas temperatures may not reflect it right now, but fall is just around the corner. September is a good time to start planning how you’re going to save energy at home during the colder months and avoid high energy bills later in the season.
During the fall and winter, keeping cold air out of your home is the goal. There are simple steps you can take to increase energy efficiency while maintaining a warm indoors.
There’s no better time to examine seals on doors and windows to check for air leaks. Caulk and weatherstrip as needed to seal in warm air and energy savings. Similarly, examine electrical outlets for air leaks, and where necessary, install foam gaskets behind them to prevent drafts.
If you need help discovering where air could be leaking from your house or where you may need more insulation, schedule a thermographic inspection. Energy assessors can use thermography, or infrared scanning, as a tool to help detect heat losses and air leakage in the envelope of a building.
During the day, open curtains or drapes on south-facing windows to let sunlight heat your home naturally. Close window treatments at night for an added layer of insulation.
As the temperature drops, schedule a service appointment for your heating system to ensure it’s operating at peak efficiency. September is a great time to get it serviced so it can be ready for the colder temperatures that are coming.
Low- or no-cost steps for energy savings include taping or affixing heavy, clear plastic to the insides of your windowpanes to create an additional barrier against cold air. Ensure that the plastic is sealed tightly to the pane to help reduce infiltration.
If you have a fireplace, check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible. Add caulk around the fireplace hearth. Also, consider a fireplace insert. Wood-burning fireplaces are notoriously energy-inefficient, but gas, pellet and Environmental Protection Agency-certified wood fireplace inserts can be more efficient and produce less smoke.
Use a programmable thermostat to set the temperature as low as is comfortable when you’re home (ideally around 68 degrees). When you’re asleep or away, turn the temperature down even more. An adjustment—down in the winter and up in the summer—of 7–10 degrees over long stretches of time can save 10% or more a year on heating and cooling costs, according to the Department of Energy.
Flip the switches on your ceiling fans so fan blades are rotating clockwise. This creates an updraft that pushes warm air down into your living space. Set them on a low speed to avoid creating a cool breeze.
As daylight decreases, we use more artificial lighting. Make sure you have energy-efficient LED light bulbs, which use 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
