Spring Clean Your Way into Energy-Efficiency with These 5 Tips
Now that spring has arrived, many people are cleaning their homes from top to bottom. You can make your clean home even more energy efficient by including these tasks on your spring-cleaning checklist:
Breathe Easier with Filter Replacement
The spring season is a good reminder to let some fresh air inside. In addition to opening windows, which helps give your heating and air conditioning system a rest, you may also want to do basic maintenance repairs to prolong the efficiency of your HVAC system. Start by replacing your unit’s filter, which should be renewed every 1-3 months depending on your filter.
Celebrate Arbor Day by Planting a Tree and Save Energy
Arbor Day is April 24, and it’s a good reason to consider planting a sun-loving tree if you’re a homeowner with some unused lawn space. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, one tree planted near a house can provide enough shade and windbreak to reduce home energy costs by a whopping 20 percent. Those savings can stack up over time!
Planting a tree helps meet environmental and sustainability goals, too. A single tree can absorb approximately 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, and you’ll be contributing to a tree canopy, which helps reduce summer temperatures by as much as 10 degrees in some cities.
Window Washing for Energy-Efficiency
Washing the windows and screens is also a good energy-efficient routine to practice during spring cleaning. Clean windows and screens make the home brighter by allowing more daylight in the home and reducing the need for using lighting lamps and fixtures. Clean screens also allow more fresh air in the home when the windows are open to recycling the home's interior air. Natural light and clean air not only are energy and money savers, but they also enhance overall health and productivity.
Seal Air Leaks
Caulking, sealing, and weather-stripping cracks and openings around your windows, doors or any other openings can help keep air from leaking out of or into your home, helping your heating and cooling systems run at maximum efficiency.
Dust the Electronics
Dust keeps electronics and motors from running at top efficiency. Be sure to dust off your computer, office equipment, electronics, light bulbs, and even refrigerator coils.
Safety: Spring Cleaning Safety Tips
Be safe while on ladders and step stools.
When doing a task, such as washing windows, where you need to be on a ladder, use extreme caution. Do not lean too far to either side. Also, have someone available to hold the ladder steady for you if possible!
Be careful when walking on wet surfaces.
Everyone knows how easy it is to slip on a wet floor. Make sure to let your family know the floors are wet.
Always follow cleaning product label safety instructions and recommendations.
Cleaning supplies can create nasty fumes, so make sure you get some fresh air by opening windows, turning on the exhaust fan, or placing a fan in the room.
Wear a mask when cleaning dusty areas.
This may seem like overkill to some, but if you are at all allergic to dust this tip is very important.
Wear Rubber Gloves
Wear rubber gloves to keep your hands from getting cracked by hot water and chemicals.
Put away all your cleaning supplies when you are done.
Cleaning supplies are an attractive nuisance for our children and pets. Put the cleaning products away in a childproof cabinet for your children's safety and well-being as soon as you are done with them.
