Inside the House

The advent of air-conditioning replaced these time-tested methods of staying cool during summertime temperature spikes. But with quick relief from stifling heat also came higher electric bills. Now, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 9 percent of Americans’ household energy costs are dedicated to cooling – and that number probably is a little higher for many Iowans. But you don’t have to sacrifice comfort and convenience to save on your bill. All it takes is smart planning, a little elbow grease and dedication to beating the heat – and high power bills.

Does your refrigerator have a Wi-Fi connection? What about your dishwasher: Can it self-dispense detergent and choose the cycle based on the number of dishes you load? But don’t stop there: You might be surprised to learn that some ovens double as refrigerators, so you can leave dinner in the oven in the morning and later send the appliance a text message, telling it to switch from cooling to cooking!

Manufactured homes often log disproportionately higher energy bills, compared to traditional wood-frame or modular homes. Here are some steps you can take to identify the most common energy-wasting culprits and remedy them.

Setting back the thermostat on your central furnace or heat pump during cold-weather months will save energy and money. The key is finding a temperature at which you and your family are comfortable.

According to federal government agencies, the average person uses 100 gallons of water a day – and water heating accounts for about 12 percent of the typical family’s power bill every month.

 18 ways to save energy in your home this winter

If your central air-conditioning system is about to gasp its last breath of cool air, now’s a great time to replace it. With federal energy tax credits, manufacturer rebates and other incentives in place – plus the fact that an energy- saving new air conditioner will lower your monthly cooling bills for many years to come – you potentially could save thousands of dollars during the next several years.

 8 tips for hiring a heating and cooling contractor

If you discover a large cold air leak where the caulking is missing around a window or door, along the siding or around your foundation, you don’t have to wait until spring to x it. But you will need to use special application techniques to do the job right.