Gone Green

After many different directions, I have decided to take this blog green. In addition to the occasional other news I may pop off on, I will be offering green tips and tricks from myself and the web. I hope you enjoy.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Summer Time Energy Savings

So, its summer time coming up which means for most of us the air conditioner will be running full time. Here are a few helpful hints to keep your cooling cost down.

1. Laundry. Everybody needs to do laundry, but when you do it and how you do it can make a difference in your cooling. Typically do your laundry in the early morning or late evening so the additional heat doesn't tax your system. Make sure the dryer hose is connected correctly and there are no holes in it. This keeps the excess heat going outside where it should.

2. Lighting. Make sure during the sunny part of the day, the side of the house facing the sun has adequate blinds or shades pulled down to reduce the solar heating. Of course, feel free to use your judgment if it isn't too warm and you wish to enjoy the scenery.

3. Filters. Clean clean clean your filter. The cleaner your filter, the less your unit has to work to maintain an air flow. This is especially important if you have shedding dogs, as their fur can quickly clog up most filters.

4. Windows and Doors. This is an area that most houses have problems with, leaky windows and doors. Make sure that there is a good seal present. A quick check is to purchase a handheld infared thermometer such as this one. They can be found for a range of prices online and in most hardware stores. This can be used around the seals of windows and doors to see if there is heat transfer.

These are just 4 quick tips to help with summer cooling bills.