Summer in northern Arizona means one thing for many of us: Air conditioning!
However, that desire for cool comfort can come with an increase in energy costs. Superior Propane is here to help! We have five ways you can make your home more energy efficient. You can stay cool and comfortable without sending your energy bills into the stratosphere:
When the temperature goes down after the sun sets, give your air conditioning a break. Open the windows for cooler air and ventilation. During the day, close curtains and blinds to keep direct sunlight from raising the temperature in your home.
If you haven’t given your air conditioning its annual maintenance tune-up, make sure to do it now! Take good care of it between tune-ups by changing filters regularly, vacuuming registers to get rid of dust, and having the ductwork cleaned as recommended by your installer.
Cooking, especially if you’re using your oven, can raise the temperature in your home by 5˚ Fahrenheit or more. That can cause the A/C to kick on more often, driving up your energy costs. Only use your stove early in the morning or later in the evening, if possible.
Use small appliances such as your multicooker, toaster oven, microwave, slow cooker, electric griddle, or air fryer. Better yet, take cooking outside as often as you can by using your propane grill. You can not only make grilled meats and veggies on your propane grill, but you can also make breakfast, bake bread, even whip up a tasty dessert!
Propane appliances offer outstanding energy efficiency, which can save you money year-round. A propane tankless water heater can cut your water heating costs by 30% or more compared with an electric storage water heater.
Propane clothes dryers get your laundry dry 25% faster than comparable electric dryers. You also save energy because propane clothes dryers produce fewer wrinkles on your laundry, meaning you won’t be ironing as much either!
Drafts aren’t only a problem in the winter. In the summer, they let hot air into your home and make your air conditioner run more frequently. Use caulk, weatherstripping, expanding foam, and other easy, affordable products to eliminate those drafts and keep your home cool with less energy.
Only between 10% and 15% of the energy an incandescent light bulb uses goes towards actual light. The rest of the energy goes into heat, which will subsequently—even if only marginally—raise the temperature in your home.
Replace incandescent bulbs with LED or halogen incandescent bulbs. They produce very little heat. By the way, move any lamps using incandescent light bulbs away from the thermostat. They give off enough heat to trick the thermostat into thinking the house is warmer than it is, which causes the A/C to cycle on more often!
Looking to increase energy savings by switching to propane-powered home comfort equipment? We can help! Contact us to get started—we’ll even help find you the best rebates available on select appliances!
