Six Sensible Energy-Saving Home Investments

If you’re like many people in our Catskills service area (and throughout the country), you could be throwing money out the window this summer (literally, in some cases) because of subpar energy efficiency in your home.

If you’re looking to make investments that will improve your family’s comfort, reduce your monthly energy bills, and improve the long-term value of your Catskills-area home, here are six of the most cost-effective ways to do it.

6 Energy Tips For Your Home

1. Add insulation – Under-applied insulation accounts for nearly one-third of the air cold and hot hair that escapes from your home. Upgrading from three to 12 inches of insulation in your attic can cut cooling costs in your home by 10 percent, and heating costs by 20 percent.
2. Install EnergyStar™ windows – If your budget allows it, consider replacing single plane windows with high efficiency Energy Star™-rated windows. The switch can reduce energy loss by more than 20 percent, saving you up to $340 a year and keeping your home more comfortable.
3. Add a programmable thermostat – By changing temperature settings when no one is home, a programmable thermostat can reduce heating and cooling costs by 10 percent or more. Affordable and easy to use and install, thermostats are a no-brainer way to save money every month.
4. Add ceiling fans – A ceiling fan is a great partner for your central air conditioner – by keeping cool air circulating, it allows you to run your thermostat three or four degrees higher with no loss of comfort. That could save you hundreds of dollars over the lifetime of your equipment, not to mention wear and tear on your home cooling system.
5. Never skip annual air conditioning maintenance – Your air conditioner loses about five percent efficiency per year if it isn’t professionally maintained. An investment in preventative HVAC maintenance every year will pay for itself in energy efficiency alone – not to mention the benefits to the long-term health of your cooling equipment.
6. Upgrade older air conditioning equipment – If your home cooling system is more than 10-12 years old, consider replacing it with a modern, high-efficiency model. Air conditioning technology has come a long way since the turn of the millennium; a new, properly maintained A/C system can cut your cooling bills by as much as 35 percent.

Looking for more sensible ways to save energy in your Sullivan County home? Black Bear can help. Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation estimate on high efficiency cooling (and heating) equipment for your home, or for professional HVAC service anywhere in our Catskills service area.