With Earth Day 2024 celebrated on Monday, April 22, it’s a great time for Arizona residents to take a look at ways we can reduce our energy consumption and carbon footprints. Our hot desert climate leads to high energy usage for cooling, but there are lots of effective strategies to cut costs and be more eco-friendly. Here are some top tips for saving energy and the planet.

Maintain Your AC Unit

Your air conditioning system accounts for a huge portion of your electricity usage during those blazing Arizona summers. Make sure to replace your air filters regularly and have your unit serviced twice a year. This keeps it running efficiently and prevents costly breakdowns.

Seal Air Leaks

All that cold air your AC produces is wasted if it leaks out through cracks and openings around windows, doors, attics, and crawl spaces. Use caulk, weatherstripping, and insulation to seal up any drafty spots.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

These nifty energy saving devices adjust the temperature automatically based on your schedule, keeping things comfortable when you’re home but allowing the AC to cycle down when you’re away at work or running errands.

Use Ceiling Fans

Keeping air circulating allows you to raise the thermostat a few degrees while still feeling comfortable in your home. The breeze from fans makes rooms feel 4 degrees cooler without having to crank the AC.

Upgrade Insulation and Windows

While upfront costs can be high, improving insulation levels in your attic, walls and crawl spaces reduces heat transfer. Installing double or triple-paned windows with spectrally selective coatings also cuts cooling needs substantially. Plus, there are federal government tax incentives for these upgrades.

Adjust Lighting and Electronics

Use LED bulbs, turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, set computers to sleep mode, and unplug chargers around your house when not in use. Smart power strips make it easy to cut standby power use.

Happy Earth Day

Whether you implement a few simple changes or make larger efficiency upgrades, reducing your energy footprint is a win-win situation. You’ll save money while helping the planet! Take some steps this Earth Day to make your Arizona home more eco-friendly.

Contact your cooling and heating professionals at Bruce’s Air Conditioning & Heating today at 480-968-5652. We can provide tips on how you can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system. Our technicians are available 24/7, including holidays and weekends. Join us in celebrating the world’s largest environmental movement on Earth Day 2024.