Making the decision to go eco-friendly will have a vast number of benefits, including helping you save money. Even so, you may not know how to get started if you haven't been following green news in the recent past. Fortunately, there are plenty of suggestions that can help you save money and energy right away. Here are three recommendations to get you started.

Take Better Care of Your HVAC System

One of the first places you should look when trying to conserve energy is your heating and cooling system since a problem in this area can put a significant energy drain on your home. You should be checking and cleaning your system's air filter at least once per month to ensure you're not running the system with a dirty filter. If your filter is dirty, you may notice that your system runs more frequently. This is because it takes more energy to push air through a clogged filter. Additionally, the air that does get through the filter will carry debris along with it, causing treated air to contain dust, pollen, and other contaminants.

You should also schedule a seasonal inspection with the best A/C repair service in Salt Lake county if you live in that area. The technician will look over your system to identify any mechanical problems that are developing, so you can get them fixed before they cause larger problems. He will also inspect and clean various parts of the system, such as the air compressor and condenser, so they will run well throughout the season. He will check your refrigerant levels to ensure you have a sufficient amount and to test for leaks.

Reduce Electricity Usage Throughout the Home

Even though you may not think you're using much electricity, you're probably using more than necessary. For example, during the summer when your air conditioning is running, walk along the exterior of your home and lightly run your hand around the frame of each window. If you feel the cool air against your palm, this is an indication that you have a draft. Sealing these cracks and crevices with putty or caulk will help you eliminate the draft. Your HVAC system will run less frequently and your home will feel more comfortable.

Additionally, change your incandescent light bulbs to LED bulbs to reduce electricity usage throughout the year. Incandescent bulbs burn hot and use more energy to burn just as bright as LED bulbs, which means they also give off more ambient heat. When you use LED bulbs, they will generate less heat and last longer, so you won't have to replace new bulbs as frequently. LED bulbs last three to five years, depending on the frequency of use.

Reduce Other Types of Waste

There are little things you can do to make a more eco-friendly home. For example, turn off power strips that connect your computer, TV, and stereo to outlets. Even though these devices may be powered down, they can still draw electricity if the power strip is still in the “on” position. Additionally, saving old shirts to use as rags can reduce how many single-use paper products you use. The rags can be used as napkins or to dust furniture. Similarly, save totes for doing your grocery shopping and use reusable plastic containers for packing lunches. Every time you can reuse something, you're reducing the waste that goes into our landfills.

Another area where families waste excess water and electricity is in running dishwashers, clothes washers, and clothes dryers. Instead of running these machines with half a load, wait until they're full to run them. This will reduce the number of loads you do, so you'll be using fewer resources week to week. If you can run these machines with cold water, you can save even more energy. There are plenty of detergents on the market that are designed to work well with cold water, so you can still get your dishware and clothing just as clean.

You can find many more ways to reduce your use of energy in the home by doing a simple search online. In most cases, you'll begin seeing positive results from these changes right away, but it may take an extra billing cycle to see a drop in your utility costs. If you continue your home's eco-friendly practices consistently, those benefits will multiply quickly.

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