Murdock Inspections brings Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Indio, La Quinta, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, IndianWells, Yucca Valley and surrounding cities 10 way to start $aving energy in your new home.
- If you are not using your computer for more than 2 hours shut it off. Put monitor, printers, scanners and other devices on a power strip/surge protector and shut them down when not in use. If you don't use a power strip than unplug them. If your computer has a sleep mode or power down use it, the computer will pull around 10% of it's power when this function is utilized. A screen saver is not a power saver in fact it may consume even more power than normal use.
- When replacing appliances look for energy star rated appliances. There are rebates available for many of these products. As of now there are not energy star stoves and ovens but keep an eye out we are expecting this will change. Click here to check what rebates may be available in your zip code. (Energy Star)
- Maintain your Air Conditioner. An air conditioner's filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to work properly, effectively and efficiently throughout its life of service. Not doing necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use will increases. A maintenance plan to make sure your heating and air conditioning is a economical way to make the system last longer as well as perform more effectively which will save you money in the long run.
- Weather strip doors and windows. Look for air leaks around windows and doors. Weather striping is an inexpensive way to save the conditioned air that you paid for and keep it inside where it belongs. Many of these repairs can be done by the home owner, if you don't feel confident talk to your local Home depot or Lowes and they can point you in the right direction or just search the Internet for a local licensed contractor to help with these energy saving repairs.
- Timers or motion switches on lights through out the home. These can save energy by simply turning on and off fixtures when not in use. These devices are relatively inexpensive and a can be installed by electrician with a small amount of effort.
- Have your homes insulation checked to make sure it is still doing the job. After years of use in a home and compaction insulation will loose its effectiveness. Homes built years ago were not built to save energy like they are today, adding more insulation will save energy. Insulation is your defence from the outside harsh temperatures.
- Install ceiling fans. Ceiling fans can make a room feel more comfortable at a higher temperature as much as 4 degrees higher and feel the same. Ceiling fans are only appropriate in rooms with ceilings at least 8 feet high. Fans work most effectetly when the fan blades are 7–9 feet above the floor and 10–12 inches below the ceiling. Fans should be installed so their blades are no closer than 8 inches from the ceiling and 18 inches from the walls. When buying window fans, look for the ENERGY STAR® label. Fans that earn the label move air 20% more efficiently, on average, than standard models.
- Add window shading. Plantation type shutters can save mounds of energy and add aesthetic value as well as actual value in some cases to the home. Shade cloth on outside deck coverings can cut down the exposure the suns affects on the home. Window screening can be upgraded to solar screening and reduces energy costs. Awnings can also reduce the affects of solar heating to the home.
- Landscape shading. Solar heat absorbed through windows and roofs can increase your air conditioner use. Incorporating shading concepts into your landscape design can help reduce this solar heat gain, reducing your cooling costs. Trees can be selected with appropriate sizes, densities, and shapes for almost any shading application. To block solar heat in the summer but let much of it in during the winter, use deciduous trees. To provide continuous shade or to block winds, use dense evergreen trees or shrubs.
- A home energy audit is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. An audit will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time. During the audit, you can pinpoint where your house is losing energy. Audits help you determine the efficiency of your home's heating and cooling systems. An audit may also show you ways to conserve electricity and water. You can perform a simple energy audit yourself, or have a professional energy auditor carry out a more thorough audit.
For more information on how to save energy go to ENERGY SAVERS
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