Did you know that spring cleaning can make your home more energy efficient? Below are a handful of different things you can incorporate into your spring cleaning routine:
Cleaning Larger Appliances.
It would be great to start with cleaning appliances such as a refrigerator, clothes dryer, and oven. These appliances are larger and used more often, so they could benefit from a little cleaning.
When the vent at the back of the refrigerator and the clothes dryer exhaust get clogged with dust, the motors work harder, requiring more energy. Vacuuming those areas a couple of times every year helps prevent that dust build-up and prevents the appliances from losing their efficiency.
Another appliance that would benefit from cleaning is the oven. Over time usage of an oven leaves behind burnt food that collects and paints the oven. Cooking with all the accumulated burned food makes it harder for the appliance to reach the desired temperature quickly. A deep clean can help it distribute heat in a much better, more efficient way relative to a dirty oven.
Duct Cleaning:
If your home uses a central air conditioner or furnace, the condition of the ducts are important in keeping utility costs down. Cleaning one’s ducts works similarly to the dryer and refrigerator; blockages from within the ducts can decrease your air conditioner or furnace energy efficiency because it has to work harder to cool and heat the home. The dirt, dust, and debris in the ducts can also wear down the duct system if left unchecked so cleaning it is a sound investment. The most approachable way to clean your ducts is to remove the vent covers, clean the vent of the debris on either side, vacuum the ducts with a nozzle or soft bristle attachment, then change the air filter before putting back the vent cover. If you prefer going with a professional on this work, an AC technician is recommended once a year for duct cleaning.
Draining the Water Heater:
If your home comes equipped with a water heater it will do you good to drain it. Energy efficiency decreases over time if not cleaned often, mostly due to the sediment build-up in the tank. Because of this, draining your water heater is critical for many reason such as increasing its lifespan and enhancing performance. Its important to note that if you have never flushed your water heater before or are comfortable with self-maintenance, this work can be done by a qualified professional. Otherwise, there are step-by-step video instructions by plumbers on Youtube who can guide one through this process.
Invest in an Energy Audit
Once you’ve completed these spring cleaning tasks, an energy auditor from Energy Efficiency Experts can tell you where there’s room for improvement and more savings. Scheduling an energy audit can give detailed information on how to make your house more energy efficient!
