Saving energy (and money) during the spring
Are you planning a big summer vacation this year? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few extra bucks to take along with you? Heck, even if you aren’t planning a vacation, lower utility bills are always welcome. Remember, your heating and air conditioning equipment is most likely the biggest consumer of energy in your home – making up around 60% of your utility bills. And, although this is the time of year where your heating and air conditioning equipment is least used, it is still a good idea to try and efficiently manage your systems.
Here are our tips for keeping the utility bills low this spring.
Don’t turn your air conditioner on and off.
Spring can be a confusing time (temperature-wise). It may seem like you need heat one day and then the air conditioner the next. Best practice is to set your thermostat and forget it. Only make the switch over from heat to cooling mode once.
Make sure your condenser’s airflow isn’t blocked.
Whether it’s grass clippings or plants, you want to make sure that your air conditioner or heat pump isn’t having a hard time drawing air into it. Make sure to keep grass clippings away from your condenser and plant at least two feet away from the unit.
Same goes for your furnace…
You may want to also consider changing your filter. A dirty filter, like grass clippings, can block airflow and increase the amount of energy your unit has to use to distribute air throughout your home.
If your air conditioner is on… 
Make sure you don’t have the windows open. Not only can open windows let in dust, dirt and allergens – it can also result in longer running times for your air conditioner, heat pump or furnace (if you’re using it).
Take advantage of your windows and blinds.
Controlling the amount of sunlight that comes into your rooms with south-facing windows can heavily affect the temperature of that room. If it’s a bit chilly, open the blinds or curtains and let in some sunshine. If it’s too toasty, close them back up.
Check your registers and vents.
Make sure they are all open. It may be tempting to control comfort by opening and closing vents, but it could affect the performance of your HVAC system and increase utility bills.
You can also ask your local heating and air conditioning contractor to come out to your house for a spring maintenance appointment. This way they can make sure that your equipment is operating (or has the potential to operate) at the most efficient levels possible.
What are your energy-saving tips for spring?