We are still feeling the summer heat yet we can already see cooler temperatures ahead now that Fall is here. So here we have a few tips on how to cool and heat your home in a green way.
Eco heating methods help conserve energy. The less energy we use to heat our homes, the less toll on the environment . There is an energy efficient and ecological method to heat your home with a heat pump. A heat pump sucks warm air from inside and pushes it outside the house. But in winter, the pump takes heat from outside, warms it, and cycles it inside the building. It is green and cheap so, why not try it? Also, heater fans are a great solution. They are collocated over wood stoves or gas heaters and they make the air flow through the whole room instead of just stuck to the ceiling. Last but not least, you can install a programmable thermostat so your house will be heated just at the times you need it to be warm. This is a very useful tool to keep the heater, or A/C, from running the whole day or when you are not home.
What about cooling your home on hot days? If you are going to buy an air conditioner, make sure to buy one that has the energy star label which means it’s energy efficient and eco-friendly. Specialists say that the key to keep the body cool is the movement of air over the skin, so another good option during dry and hot days is an evaporative cooler. It cools outdoor air through evaporation and then brings it back inside the house. They cost about half to install and use about 25% less energy than traditional air conditioners, You can also try a green roof with solar panels (eco-friendly and more efficient) or just keep solar heat from direct contact with windows and roofs (trees and vegetation can help with this). Hydronic systems can also provide both heating and cooling. They send either cooled or heated fluid through pipes embedded in a concrete floor or positioned directly under other types of flooring.
Try avoiding common mistakes like using a fan with the windows open which just moves the hot air around, in fact avoid them entirely since fans do not cool air at all and just waste energy. And of course keep windows and doors closed when running the heater or A/C. By making simple changes in your habits at home, you can help the environment and stay comfortable no matter the season!