Posted June 2, 2010 by Laura Wagner

Energy Saving Tips to Prepare Your Home For Summer

As we approach the official start of summer on June 21 I started thinking about how to prepare our homes for the blazing Texas heat.  Here are few tips I have found to help us all through these hot summer months and how to be energy efficient at the same time.

1.       Change out your air filters-most sites I found recommended changing them out once a month.

2.       Have your air conditioner serviced on a regular basis.  If your air conditioner does not have regular maintenance it loses about 5% of its original efficiency for every year of its operation.

3.       Clean your ceiling fans as they are going to see a lot more use in the coming months.

4.       Consider changing the thermostat to a programmable thermostat. You can save up to $100/year by using the new set-back thermostat.

5.       Another tip I found interesting was changing your light bulbs to the compact fluorescent light bulbs. Traditional light bulbs give off an excessive amount of heat.

6.       Also run appliances such as the dryer and dishwasher at night when the temperature outside is cooler.

7.       Keep your window shaded during the day.

8.       Set the thermostat to 78 degrees and run your ceiling fans.

9.       It’s also a good idea to shade your AC compressor.  Planting a bush or tree is a great way to shade the compressor.

10.   Another good  idea is to clean the coils on your AC’s condenser. The outside coils can be easily cleaned by hosing them down. The inside coils are a little harder to get to and might need to be cleaned by a trained technician.

I hope these simple tips help to keep you cool this summer and save you a little money in the process. Stay cool and for any of your home buying, selling, or leasing needs please give email me at laura@rogershealy.com or give me a call 972.380.3430.