{"id":1481,"date":"2020-03-23T17:24:27","date_gmt":"2020-03-23T21:24:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/?p=1481"},"modified":"2020-03-23T18:28:29","modified_gmt":"2020-03-23T22:28:29","slug":"spring-cleaning-tips-help-reduce-energy-consumption","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/spring-cleaning-tips-help-reduce-energy-consumption\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring Cleaning Tips to Help Reduce Energy Consumption"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spring is the time when people are motivated to get their house in order. Closets are cleared, couches are vacuumed under and everything is given a good scrub down. It takes a lot of manpower, but your spring cleaning session could also require a lot of energy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you decide to just live with the clutter in an effort to conserve energy, consider making a few adjustments while you clean to reduce consumption. Here\u2019s how!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make Your Own Healthy Surface Cleaner<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you ever thought about how much energy goes into each item we buy? The product itself has to be made along with the packaging then it\u2019s shipped to a store or your door. Once you\u2019ve used the product the container is thrown out and the process starts again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a lot of waste involved and tons of energy that we consume indirectly. And when you\u2019re shopping for cleaners there\u2019s also the concern of how many toxins are used that can pollute the environment and become a potential hazard for people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luckily, Mother Nature produces some pretty good natural cleaners that aren\u2019t harsh and can be bought in bulk. Some natural items you can use during a spring cleaning session include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lemon<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Baking soda<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ammonia<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a good chance that if you check around the kitchen you\u2019ll find that you already have a few of the items handy and don\u2019t need to buy additional cleaners. Every product you don\u2019t purchase is the energy saved!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open the Windows While You Clean<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the spring there\u2019s this brief period when you can turn the HVAC system off and open the windows. Not only does it save a ton of energy, it can improve air quality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many people are surprised to find the air in their home isn\u2019t as healthy as they thought. When homes are shut up for months with heaters running the air inside can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoors. Opening the windows is like airing out the house. In the dead of summer when the air conditioner is whirring away you\u2019ll be glad you did.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clean Out Your Air Filters<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the air conditioner does finally kick on, a clean air filter can maximize energy efficiency. Cleanable air filters are more economical and it reduces waste as well as consumption.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The one downside is reusable air filters can remove allergens, dust, and pollen from the air, but they don\u2019t improve the air quality as well as standard disposable filters. If air quality is more important than using the greenest option you may need to stick to regular air filters and change them every two months.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clean the Blades and Change the Ceiling Fan Direction<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s hard to purify the air in your home if there\u2019s dust-caked all over the fan blades. Cleaning the fan is a task that usually only takes place during spring cleaning so make it really count.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you are giving the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/how-to-choose-an-energy-efficient-ceiling-fan\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ceiling fans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> some attention, make sure the blades are spinning in the right direction. During the spring and summer, the blades should turn counter-clockwise to pull air up so that it circulates and creates a chill effect. Using fans around the house can lower your energy bill by as much as 10%.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TIP: Always clean the blades before changing the direction. That way dust won\u2019t dislodge and float around once the fan is turned on.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dust Your Electronics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many electronic devices are in your home? Most families have a dozen or more around the house. Altogether, electronics account for 4% of your energy bill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure electronics run as efficiently as possible by dusting them regularly. Dust buildup can actually cause poor connections, which affects how well electronics operate. It can also cause electronics to overheat. Overheating can reduce the lifespan of your electronics and make them work harder when they\u2019re being used.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clean Around the Fridge<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A clean refrigerator is an efficient refrigerator. By some estimates, the refrigerator is the second biggest energy drain in a house after the HVAC system. New standards have resulted in ENERGY STAR refrigerator models that use up to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/appliances-and-electronics\/kitchen-appliances\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">40% less energy than fridges from 2001<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but that\u2019s when they are new.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But to realize those energy savings you have to maintain the refrigerator. At least a few times a year you\u2019ll want to clean around the condenser coils and the vents so air circulates freely. The seals around the door can also be cleaned to ensure the fridge closes air-tight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now it\u2019s time to clean up with an energy plan from Provider Power. Residents in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts can count on us for reliable energy during the most intense spring cleaning sessions. Use your zip code to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">find available energy plans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spring is the time when people are motivated to get their house in order. Closets are cleared, couches are vacuumed under and everything is given a good scrub down. It takes a lot of manpower, but your spring cleaning session could also require a lot of energy.\u00a0 Before you decide to just live with the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":1484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy-savings"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/iStock-1081949864.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7rbwO-nT","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1481"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1481\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/providerpower.com\/power-to-help\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}