Saving Energy During Winter

Saving Energy During Winter

During winter and even before, we have a tendency to crank up the heat and try not to think about what this bill is going to be next month. As it turns out, it’s actually easier

to save on utility bills and save energy than you might think. All while maintaining your home's comfortable temperature and lightening the burden on appliances like the water heater and furnace. Take a look at some of the tips we have compiled below and learn about the cost saving actions you can implement in your home today. -Start with an inspection of your plumbing to determine if it is reaching its full energy efficiency potential. At Jolly plumbing we have over 60 years of experience diagnosing and increasing the effectiveness of your home plumbing system, so allow our plumbing experts to come out and give you a detailed estimate on how your system can be improved. -The second investment you can make into the energy efficiency of your home is to purchase a Programmable Thermostat. This handy piece of technology allows you so much more control over the temperature of your home and energy costs. Newer models even give you the option to control the temperature of your home remotely using apps on your smartphone. A great place to look for feedback on various models would be online, where you can compare different units and see what others are saying in real time before you purchase and install it in your own home. If you would like to have the thermostat installed for you we are more than happy to come to your home and do an install as well as system testing. -The third item on our list is likely something you are already doing! When you are not in your home lower the temperature on your thermostat. A good range to shoot for would be 65 - 68 degrees during the day and even lower at night while you are in bed. New thermostats even allow you to program the temperature based on the time of day, so you don’t even have to think about it. If you stay consistent with this pattern every day, you will likely see a decrease in your monthly and yearly utility bills. -Tip number four has to do with your Sump Pump. Most homes with basements and crawl spaces already come with a sump pump, which is a pump designed to move water from a rain or snow storm to a nearby storm drain. When the sump pump is working correctly then a flooded basement will be a thing of the past. If the pump is in need of service or hasn’t been tested in awhile, the likelihood of it functioning correctly during a storm is pretty slim. To test your sump pump pour a couple of gallons of water through the system and visually check if there are any leaks. It is also a good idea to have your pump connected to a backup battery in case of a local power outage.