08 Mar Regulate Your Home Temperature Using Less Energy

Regulate Your Home Temperature Using Less Energy

Now that it’s almost spring and we’re headed for warmer spring weather, we’re hitting that awkward period when you almost need to use both the air conditioning and the heating system in one day. There are, however, many other ways that you can regulate the temperature in your home, without having to turn on your heating and air conditioning systems. Here are some tips for regulating the temperature in your home, all while using less energy.

When it’s cold…

…open your oven.

If you’ve just been using your oven, and the temperature in your home happens to be colder than you’d like, go ahead and leave your oven open once it’s turned off. This will let all of that extra heat drift into the home, warming up the ambient air without the use of your home’s heating system.

…use your fan.

Did you know that many ceiling fans are reversible, allowing you to turn them on to a function that recirculates warm air near the ceiling back down towards the ground? Take advantage of this reversible setting on your fan during the winter months to keep that heated air circulating in your home.

…use blankets.

So this doesn’t necessarily regulate your home’s temperature, but you would be surprised at the difference that a thick, warm blanket makes. A warm blanket is perfect for conserving energy that would otherwise be used by your heating system at night; simply add it to your current bedding, turn your thermostat down a few degrees, and enjoy saving energy as you sleep.

…get energy efficient window treatments.

The right window treatments can actually make a significant impact on stabilizing temperatures in your home and on improving energy efficiency in the home. Wood and faux wood blinds and shutters, for example, are made using materials that that do not conduct heat well. Cellular shades, meanwhile, are designed to trap air in their cells, keeping warm air from leaving your home and colder air from entering your home.

When it’s hot…

…turn on your fan.

A personal fan or a ceiling fan can make you feel significantly cooler, without using the energy requiring to cool your entire home by a few degrees.

…open the windows.

If during the summer months it is cooler outside than inside your home (such as in the early evening), opening your windows can cool your home significantly (just be sure that the air conditioning is not running when your windows are open.) There is, however, an art to opening your windows in order to cool your home. You can actually ‘tune’ your windows according to how the wind is passing your home. For the windows on the upwind side of your home (the side that is facing against the wind), you would open the bottom portions of your windows; for the downwind side (the opposite side), you would open the top portions of your windows, or the windows up on the second floor. This creates a difference in air pressure around your windows, essentially resulting in a natural draft that pushes air through your home.

…plant a tree.

This is easier said than done, of course. Consider planting a tree on the side of your home that most often faces the sun so that it can start seeing some more shade.

…get energy efficient window treatments.

Yep—energy efficient window treatments can help during the warmer months as well. Light colored shades, blinds, or shutters, for example, reflect light away from the home during the warm summer months. Cellular shades, meanwhile, are designed to trap airs in their cells, essentially creating an insulating barrier around your windows.

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