With utility bills consistently climbing, energy efficiency is more important than ever. These days with many of us struggling just to get by, finding ways to save money is a necessity. Energy saving tips are money saving tips and who doesn’t like to save money?
As a country, we Americans spend $11 Billion dollars a year cooling our homes and as homeowners, almost 50% of our energy cost comes from cooling and heating our homes. Two-thirds of all US homes have air conditioners, and 6% of our household energy use comes just from cooling our homes.
According to data released by NASA, so far this has been the warmest April on record which is keeping 2016 on track to be the warmest year ever. With that in mind, it would be in your best interests to get as much energy efficiency out of your air conditioner as possible. You can read the CNN article titled 2016 to be hottest year yet as April smashes records.
With temperatures rising so early in the spring you might be using your air conditioner much more than usual this summer. Taking the few extra minutes to set your air conditioner up properly now could save you money when the temperature starts rising this summer.
Wouldn’t you like to keep more of that money instead of giving it to your local utility company? Below is a video from NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory). It can help you to keep some of the money that is going out your window when you use that accordion installation kit that comes with your window air conditioner.
*The statistics above are courtesy of the Department of Energy.
Isn’t that money better off in your pocket? A few supplies you probably already have at home or spending a few dollars for those supplies will help save you the 5% of energy leakage just from that one air conditioner. If you have more than one window air conditioner, your are losing 5% from each of them.
That’s Ugly, Do I Really Need to do That to Save Energy?
I guess that depends on how badly you want to save on home energy costs. I know where you’re coming from. I went through that myself. My husband was none too happy with some of the solutions I found in my quest to cut the electric bill in half. Fortunately, those solutions were only temporary.
Do you have an artistic child? Let them draw or paint a picture on the foam before you put it up. You can use contact paper or shelf liner in a color that matches your furnishings. You can get a piece of fabric that matches your drapes and fasten it snugly so it matches. It’s only limited by your imagination.
Energy Efficiency Doesn’t Have to Crush Your Budget
I had bubble wrap on my windows until I could afford to replace my regular drapes with thermal backed curtains. Not the most attractive look but the house was much warmer on winter mornings and less humid in the summer.
To this day, I still have weatherproof tape around my front door because we have an ornamental grill on our front door and can’t have a storm door because it protrudes from the door too much. It annoys my family to no end, but they have to fasten the tape around the door after they come in the house.
No matter what size weatherstripping I bought it wouldn’t work. No matter how thin it was the door wouldn’t close or lock. When I was finally able to get the door to close all the way with the weatherstripping, it still wouldn’t lock. I finally decided that using the tape no matter how it looked was better than wasting energy and money.
Before I used the tape, I tried the candle test on my front door because you could see a crack of sunlight even when the door was closed. In the winter, the candle would blow out, in the summer, it looked like the flame was trying to go out the door.
That meant in the winter the cold air that came in was dissipating my warm air, and in the summer, my cold air was going right out the front door. That was quite a bit of money wasted before we realized it. I’m glad that money is staying in my hands instead of someone else’s even if it’s not the most attractive look.
Being energy efficient doesn’t always have to cost a lot of money. Sometimes it can be accomplished with things you already have around the house. I hope you found my tip on increasing the energy efficiency of your window air conditioner useful.
If you would rather read the instructions and print it out instead of watching the video, you can download the PDF by clicking here.
*This PDF is courtesy of NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and DOE(Department of Energy).
If you would like to read my review on the best window air conditioner to buy, click here.
Through The Wall Air Conditioner