A.T.Martin Home Inspections LLC Energy Tips For Today
Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120° F). You'll not only save energy, you'll avoid scalding your hands.
Check to see if your water heater has an insulating blanket. An insulating blanket will pay for itself in one year or less!
Heating can account for almost half of the average family's winter energy bill. Make sure your furnace or heat pump receives professional maintenance each year. And look for the ENERGY STAR® label when replacing your system.
Review additional strategies to reduce your water heating bills. Water heating can account for 14% to 25% of the energy consumed in your home.
Survey your incandescent lights for opportunities to replace them with compact fluorescents (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). CFLs can save three-quarters of the electricity used by incandescents. The best targets are 60 to 100 W bulbs used several hours a day. Measure the clearance in the fixtures to make sure they will accommodate compact fluorescents, which are slightly bigger than incandescents.
Turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
Install a programmable thermostat that can be adjusted to temperatures according to your schedule.
During winter, open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
Clean or replace filters in your furnace, air conditioner and heat pump.
ENERGY STAR®-labeled products can cut your energy bills by up to 30%. Find retailers near you at http://www.energystar.gov/ when you're ready to replace your heating and cooling systems—as well as appliances, lighting, windows, office equipment, and home electronics.

This Week
Visit the hardware store. Buy a water-heater blanket, low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and compact fluorescents, as needed.
Rope-caulk leaky windows.
Assess your heating and cooling systems. Determine if replacements are justified, or whether you should retrofit them to make them work more efficiently to provide the same comfort (or better) for less energy.
Anthony Martin owner/inspector, Schedule your home inspection or maintenance inspection now.
A.T.Martin Home Inspections LLC serves greater Atlanta, and ALL north Georgia 770-906-7294