Are you looking for ways to save energy and money in your home? You may be turning off lights and changing the thermostat setting, yet your energy bills may not be changing all that much. What’s next?
Here are five ways you may be sabotaging your energy saving attempts in your Tampa home:
Having an Inefficient HVAC System
Heating and cooling accounts for just over 55 percent of the energy a typical home uses. If the heat pump, furnace or central A/C in your home is more than a decade old, it’s time to upgrade. The efficiency of new models is significantly better than those sold just 10 years ago.
Even if it’s not in your immediate budget, start saving and planning on making that replacement.
Not Having Enough Insulation
Insulation helps keep the heat out in the summer and in during the winter. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), new homes in Tampa should have between R-30 and R-49 in the attic, R-13 and R-15 in the walls, and R-13 in the floors. Home built a couple of decades ago may not have enough insulation.
Using Incandescent Light Bulbs
A typical 60-watt incandescent bulb has an expected life span of 1,200 hours. The equivalent compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) only uses 14 watts and has a life span of 10,000 hours. The equivalent LED uses 10 watts and has a life span of 50,000 hours.
Not Performing Regular Maintenance
All the systems within your home need routine maintenance to perform efficiently. This includes the HVAC system, plumbing, electricity, windows, doors, roof and foundation, among many other parts of the home.
Using Aged Appliances
Stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, washers,and dryers can last for well over a decade. Some are still in service after 30 years. The problem with these old appliances is that they can be highly inefficient. Replacing them with Energy Star certified appliances can cut energy use significantly.
If you want to talk to someone about updating the HVAC system in your Florida home to save energy and money, contact Senica Air Conditioning, Inc.. We proudly serve Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater homeowners.
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