Spring is finally here! Along with warmer weather and blooming blossoms, it’s time to freshen things up. Many people do a little ‘Spring cleaning’ this time of year in order to make their home feel more open and comfortable for the warmer months. It’s easy to get motivated when the sun is out and the weather is nice.
Did you know some of your Spring cleaning chores can also help you to save energy (and money)? If you’re already cleaning up around the house, be sure to add these four energy-saving tips to your list. Once you check them off, you’ll feel better about doing something good for the environment, and you’ll see the savings through the entire year.
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Change the Direction of Ceiling Fans
You’ll probably be running your ceiling fans quite a bit as the weather warms up. Many people give the fan blades a good dusting this time of year. While you’re up there, you should also change the direction they rotate. Ceiling fans should spin counter-clockwise in Spring and Summer to help circulate cool air throughout each room.
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Clean Your Vents
Does winter ever leave you feeling plugged up and congested? Imagine how your air ducts must feel. Cleaning out air ducts and vents may not be at the top of everyone’s Spring cleaning list. But, if you clean out the dust and dirt that collected in them over the winter, you’ll be able to breathe better the rest of the year. This will also help your cooling system so it doesn’t have to work as hard to pump colder air through the house. As a result, your cooling unit should last longer.
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Switch Your Light bulbs
If you’ve been neglecting those burnt out bulbs all winter but you’re going around the house putting new ones in now, make sure they are energy-efficient bulbs! While you’re at it, it’s a good idea to change all the light bulbs in your house to LED bulbs. You’ll get the same amount of light and use a lot less energy. You’ll also immediately start to see savings in your electric bill.
LED bulbs can be a bit expensive up front. But, they tend to last longer, and pay for themselves with the money you’ll save on utilities.
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Have Your HVAC Serviced
Your heating and cooling system worked overtime for you all winter, so now is the time to make sure everything is running properly and will continue to do so. This might not necessarily be a ‘Spring cleaning’ item for you, but having an HVAC specialist come to your home to check on your heating and cooling unit might mean they have to do some cleaning. If you have an outdoor air conditioner, things like leaves, sticks, and other debris can build up around the unit and cause it not to work as efficiently. You can also do your part by regularly changing out the filter on your system.
We hope these tips give you a few more ideas when it comes to tidying up this season. They don’t take long to do, and will benefit you, your family, and your utility bills!