Did you know there’s more you can do to adjust your home temperature than simply changing your thermostat? There are many different methods for maintaining consistent temperatures while also helping to keep your monthly energy costs at a minimum. Here, we’ll focus on your home décor. Energy efficient home décor doesn’t have to be hard, follow along for some helpful home tips!

Curtains/Drapes

Energy-efficient curtains and/or drapes can be a great way to help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter times. Great for the hot summer months, these curtains are made with a fabric specifically designed to help keep your home cool. This same material that helps keep your home cool is very dense, this is great for the colder winter months! This doubles down to be a great way to keep your home warm while also helping keep the costs of running your HVAC system down.

During the summer days it is a great idea to keep your blinds, shades, and drapes closed as much as possible. This will also help keep out the UV rays that tend to bring heat into your home, as those increases in temperature cause your HVAC system to work harder to keep your home at your preferred temperature.

However, keeping your curtains open on south-facing windows is a great way to let natural heat into your home during the winter. At night, it’s best to close them to reduce the chill.

Other seasonal tips

Managing moisture in your home during the summer months will help keep your AC running as efficiently as it can. Bringing your plants outdoors during the summer months is a great way to combat your moisture issue (but if you’re wanting the decorative look, try opting for fake plants). Window-style AC units on the north side of your home, the side that gets the most shade, will also help keep your HVAC system load to a minimum. For lighting, incandescent light bulbs not only use a lot of electricity, but they also give off a lot of heat. You can reduce the ambient heat in your home while also decreasing your electric bills by switching to LED or fluorescent lighting.

In the winter, it is imperative that you replace any cracked weather stripping and recaulk any areas that may need a little more attention. This will help keep any unnecessary drafts from entering your home.

If décor alone isn’t keeping your home comfortable while cutting costs, contact us today at (217) 281-1650 to learn about our efficient HVAC solutions or schedule your FREE estimate for HVAC replacement!