Date: June 22, 2020
The temperature is creeping up here in greater Boston. And it’s going to keep doing that, as this summer is forecasted to be hotter than normal.
As a result, your home’s air conditioning will be working harder for longer hours to keep your home cool and comfortable. On top of that, we’re at home far more frequently due to COVID-19, increasing the use our of lights and electronics. With all this, it’s very understandable that you may be worried about energy costs this season.
We’re here to try and take some of that worry off your hands with five ways you can get your energy costs a bit more under control.
If you haven’t contacted Cubby Oil for your annual A/C tune-up already, now is the time to do it so you’re ready for the heat of the summer to come. The last thing you want is for your air conditioning to break down in the midst of that!
Not only does regular maintenance help prevent breakdowns of your home’s air conditioning system; it also helps keep the A/C running at its peak efficiency. And when you consider that cooling your home can make up half of your energy costs this time of year, it can add up to some nice savings.
Your washer and dryer account for about 13% of your home’s energy costs. Some tweaks and adjustments can help you save energy and money.
Want to cut the energy usage for each load of laundry in half (or more)? Using warm water instead of hot water reduces energy usage of a single load by half, and using cold water cuts it further.
Also: Wash full loads whenever possible.
If you have space in the back yard, set up a clothesline to dry laundry. This can be a big energy saver, especially with items that take longer to dry like beach or bath towels. First of all, you’re not running your dryer so it’s not using energy.
When you do use the dryer, use dryer balls. They help separate the items in the dryer so they dry faster and you’ll use less energy adding an extra ten or twenty minutes to your cycle.
Water heating is one of the biggest users of energy in your home, making up nearly 20% of your energy costs.
If your water heater is at the factory default setting of 140˚ Fahrenheit, turning it down to 120˚ can save you up to $400 a year!
Use the dishwasher instead of washing by hand. Washing a full load of dishes by hand uses more than twice the water as washing that same load in a dishwasher.
And when it comes to you whole home’s hot water investing in an indirect oil-fired water heater can help you save big as well.
A hot kitchen puts more demand on your air conditioning. So, don’t slave over a hot stove! Grill outside whenever you can. The grill isn’t just for cookouts and suppers. You can even make breakfast on the grill! Instead of cooking on the stove or using the oven, use a multicooker or slow cooker.
Turning your air conditioning setting 7 to 10 degrees higher for eight hours a day can cut your cooling costs by 10%. Programmable thermostats help you do that because you set it once and it automatically adjusts to your settings every day. There are also smart thermostats you can control via your home’s WiFi – and right from your smartphone or tablet!
Cubby Oil is here to take care of your home heating, cooling, and comfort equipment so they operate at peak performance. Contact us today if you need service or are ready to upgrade to new, high-efficiency equipment for your home or business.