- Learn how energy and heat flows work. When you understand how your body interacts with heat and cold, then you can learn more about how to monitor your thermostat at home and at the office. Based on the principle that energy as heat will flow as long as one temperature is higher than another, you can get creative about how to save money and energy in your green money-saving mission.
- Apartment hunters can save money. Heat rises, so look for a high-rise apartment if you live in the north and a ground-level apartment if you live in the south. While you might argue that top-floor apartments are insufferable during the summer, that hot season lasts only about three months per year. Use fans to generate air flow from an air conditioner throughout the rooms. Additionally, upper-floor urban apartments don’t gather city soot like ground-level apartments, so you can open your windows at night with less dirt accumulation inside (all from personal experience!).
- Install ceiling fans. Ceiling fans can be a great buy, because you don’t need an expensive one to work the magic. But, pay attention to the direction that they rotate. During summer months, set them to go counterclockwise to create a downdraft. During winter months, set them to go clockwise to assist hot air to the ceiling.
- Seal your home. Wind chill can accelerate heat loss. While some ventilation is essential — especially if you have solid-fuel or gas fires inside — don’t forget that energy constantly moves and it will move in and out through any leaks in your home. Use insulation, sealers, and door snakes to control temperatures no matter the time of year. These items are well worth the price in the money that you save. Plus, if you mention your efforts to your landlord, it may help with the refund on your apartment deposit when you move on.
- Remember that glass is a conductor. Window glass conducts outside and inside air, but outside influences often are more powerful. In summer, interior surface temperatures of poorly insulated tinted glass and clear glass with tinted film can become as hot as 140° F, so any air that comes in contact with that glass will become…you guessed it…hot. The opposite effect occurs during the winter. Special window treatments, even in apartments, can influence how that window treats your room. Remember to use white - at least on the outer face of your shades or curtains - because white reflects light away from the inside of your home.
- Insulate your body in winter. In cold conditions, evaporation can quickly suck away warmth, especially if you’ve been active and then are stationary, leaving your skin exposed. Think of your body as a water heater and wrap yourself in insulating layers. Wear dark colors to absorb any outside light or heat energy.
- Expose your body in summer. Heat-loss through evaporation is needed to regulate your body temperature in hot weather. Wear fewer clothes in fabrics (like cotton) that allow your body to release evaporation. Wear white or light colors to reflect light and heat energy.
- Hold more indoor winter parties. Turn your thermostat down and let your guests provide the heat. One journalist believes that each guest can equal a 175-watt heater, so a large group could really heat things up quick.
- Camp out inside. You can dramatically decrease heating costs when you turn down the thermostat at night. Some folks are comfortable even when they turn off the thermostat and open the windows, because they’ve learned how to sleep with several blankets (layers for insulation) and a cap on their heads (think Scrooge). This action is feasible only if you don’t live in arctic areas. Learn how to sleep in a cabin for some hints on this activity.
- Monitor your thermostat. If you practice all the tips above, you can set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer. This is the point of these practices, because you can save substantially on your heating and cooling bills even when you adjust the difference by just a few degrees.
- Move lights away from cooling appliances. Lights generate heat, so move them away from the air conditioner and fans so those appliances don’t work overtime. They can also affect thermostat readings, so move them away from those tools for accurate readings.
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