Conserving energy at home this summer

As temperatures rise, many homeowners are tempted to crank down the air conditioning to keep comfortable inside. However, there are a few other ways to alter your atmosphere while conserving energy at home this summer from fans to window treatments and a few maintenance tasks that will cool your home more efficiently.

Since conservation is a central mission of Ben & Annie’s Trees For Tomorrow, we put together a few tips to help San Antonio homeowners like you.

In the home
The easiest way to conserve energy is to work it into your daily routine. This includes unplugging devices when they are not in use and turning off lights or ceiling fans when you leave a room. It is also ideal to operate the dishwasher and washing machine with full loads since they use significant energy to heat up the water. 

If possible, setting a schedule on your thermostat can help too by allowing you to adjust heating and cooling more effectively as conditions change throughout the day. For example, if you are away at work or out of town, setting the thermostat a few degrees higher can save energy without having a negative effect on the temperature when you get home. 

Opting for personal fans is another easy switch because they are focused on cooling a person rather than the whole room. This is more effective and efficient. Installing window coverings that can also prevent heat gain and save money on cooling by limiting direct sunlight into the home. 

When shopping for new appliances, look for EnergyStar rated options like washing machines, refrigerators, and HVAC systems. These are specially designed to use less while still performing at a high level.

Outside the home
As the seasons change, it is also important to check for leaks from windows and doors that allow unwanted air to enter the home. These may appear as seal cracks or later openings that need to be repaired with caulk. Fixing these imperfections and adding weatherstripping will help conserve energy by keeping cool air in and warm air out. 

Another important home maintenance task is to make sure that the HVAC system is running efficiently. This includes ceiling vents and registers as well as scheduling maintenance for the air conditioner itself. This will keep things running at maximum efficiency and hopefully prevent costly repairs later in the year. 

Making a difference
Ultimately, energy conservation involves all of us. Ben & Annie’s Trees for Tomorrow strives to build better communities by replanting trees disrupted by the homebuilding process into parks and greenspaces in Central Texas. This will help add valuable resources back into the environment and keep our air cleaner.

For more information about Ben & Annie’s Trees for Tomorrow and its work around the San Antonio area, call 210-670-5297 or email info@benannietrees.org.