Q: What are some tasks I can add to my spring-cleaning list that will increase energy efficiency?
A: Spring is a great time to refresh, clean, and enhance energy efficiency at home. By adding simple yet effective energy-saving strategies to our spring-cleaning routines, we can create an efficient living environment that may also lower our utility bills and extend the life of our heavily used appliances.
Even though it’s out of sight, don’t leave it out of mind: Check the filter in your HVAC system. Your furnace worked hard to heat your home during the winter. Ensuring your system has a clean filter is a low-cost and easy way to protect your equipment and maximize efficiency. A dirty furnace filter can cause your system to work harder than necessary, decreasing efficiency and shortening the system’s life.
While the filter is easy to replace yourself, you should have your air conditioning unit serviced and professionally cleaned. HVAC contractors get busy responding to calls for repairs during the summer heat.
Scheduling cleaning services for your air conditioning unit in the spring — before the heat of the summer — can ensure the work gets done before the rush and even save you money. Some HVAC contractors offer special discounts for cleaning services in the milder months, which helps fill their schedules and keep their technicians working.
Indoor and outdoor HVAC equipment should be cleaned. Dirty refrigerant coils reduce efficiency. This also applies to heat pumps and ductless heat pumps, also known as mini-split systems. HVAC technicians can check refrigerant levels and refill or repair if necessary. Window air conditioning units can get dirty too.
Check manufacturer instructions to learn how to clean these; you can also find tutorials online. Typically, they can be cleaned with the proper tools, cleaning agents, and know-how. Always unplug the unit before cleaning, and wait until it’s completely dry to plug it back in again. Take the time to clean it properly in the spring before you need it in the summer.
Cleaning light fixtures and their covers can brighten your space by removing the dust and grime that collected during the winter. While you are at it, be sure to check the type of bulbs in the fixtures and replace any incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs with energy-saving LED bulbs.
Although they tend to cost a little more when purchasing, LEDs last longer and use less energy. Good-quality LED bulbs are expected to last 30,000 to 50,000 hours, according to the Department of Energy. A typical incandescent lamp lasts about 1,000 hours, and a comparable CFL lasts 8,000 to 10,000 hours. To put this into everyday use, if you have an LED light on for 10 hours per day, it can last 13 years compared to only about three months for incandescent bulbs and about 2 1/2 years for CFLs.
If cleaning windows is on your springcleaning list, check the seals and sash locks to ensure they close tightly. Inspect any areas that may need caulking or sealing to reduce drafts and air leaks. Sealing around windows contributes to year-round comfort in your home. Clean windows allow more light into the home, potentially reducing the need to turn on lamps and overhead fixtures.
Spring is the ideal time to declutter, deep clean, and implement practices that not only tidy our homes but also help reduce energy consumption, saving money on energy use.
Miranda Boutelle is the chief operating officer at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency company.