HOME TIPS! : Seal Your Walls!

A simple home tip that may save you money and energy this winter.

We're all looking for ways to improve the energy-efficiency of our homes to help the environment and lower our utility bills in the process. Thankfully in Texas, basements are rare, so it's one less place you have to expect drafts to emanate. However, your home may have spots where air penetrates through the walls causing a draft and a change in temperature inside your home. This will likely occur in the areas where holes have been cut out of the walls to install plugs, switches, and canned lights. If you have ever removed these during cold weather, you have probably noticed some cold air pouring out.

You may reduce air leakage by using a tube of high quality caulk or a spray foam can to seal around the area where the electrical box meets the drywall. There are also alternative recessed lighting cans or fixtures that you can install which provide a tighter seal to keep the cool (or hot) temperatures out. This simple process will potentially save you energy this winter season!

10 Tips to Keep Your Utility Bills Low in the Summer!

1. Keep your thermostat as high as you comfortably can. The smaller the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, the less energy you are using.

2. Do not set your thermostat lower than normal when turning it on; it will not cool your house any faster, but it will run up your cooling bill.

3. Make good use of ceiling fans; they allow you to raise the thermostat up to 4 degrees while maintaining the same cool comfort.

4. Keep lamps and TVs away from your AC thermostat. The heat created by these appliances will mislead thermostat sensors and force your cooling system to run longer than necessary.

5. Be sure that registers are cleared of dust regularly. Any buildup can cause it to run inefficiently.

6. Avoid using your oven as much as possible during the summer months - grill outdoors or use the stove and microwave as alternatives.

7. Efficient lighting will keep your house cooler. Up to 90% of the electricity that powers incandescent lights is turned into unwanted heat in your home.

8. Make sure your water heater is set to warm (120 degrees) instead of hot. This will avoid scalding and save on energy bills.

9. During times of the day when the sun is hottest, pull window treatments closed to block out warm rays and your AC unit won't have to work as hard.

10. Have a professional come out to inspect your AC unit before you need it, and maintain it by replacing intake filters every month and pouring a 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of bleach mixture down the condensate line to keep it flowing smooth.