If your monthly utility bills are giving you a headache, then it is time you considered changing a few things around your house to bring down costs. Utility bills shoot up during summers, when your air conditioner use increases. But there are simple ways with which you can control this cost. In the last post we discussed some of these ways. Here are a few other tips.

• Make sure that your air conditioner is in good shape. If your air conditioner has become old, then it is time you replaced it. The average lifespan of an air conditioner is about thirteen to fifteen years. If you have had one for more than this period, then look for a new air conditioning system, which will not only maximize cooling but also bring down your utility bill.
• Replace the filters of the air conditioner as dust gets accumulated quickly in them during summers. Also check for leaky ducts as these will not only affect cooling performance but also add to the cooling costs.
• Ensure that leaking air conditioning ducts are repaired or else they will affect the cooling performance and also add to the air conditioning costs.
• Set the thermostat at a slightly higher temperature, and more so when you are away. Every degree you raise will bring down costs of your air conditioning by more than three percent. You can even consider buying a programmable thermostat.
• You can also seek the advice of an HVAC inspector who can visit your home and after inspection, give you an in depth analysis of how you can further lower your energy costs.

Summer is a fun time for most people, but when the temperatures soar, you can become restless and lose your cool. To make matters worse, your utility bill may also give you a shock. But there are ways in which you can beat the heat as well as lower your energy costs. Here is how you can do it:

• Make sure that your house is sufficiently insulated so that the external heat is not easily transferred inside. Keep a check on the temperature of your attic, which will get heated up faster than any other room in your house. Insulate the attic well to avoid excessive heating of this area. Remember, the better your house is insulated, the lesser your cooling costs will be.
• One simple way to prevent rooms from becoming warmer is by closing your blinds. As your rooms get hotter, your cooling needs also increase, thus adding to your bill.
• Get ceiling fans installed, as they will circulate cool air all around the house and reduce your need for air conditioning.
• Make sure you switch off the lights in the room when they are not in use. Similarly, turn off your computer, television and other electronic devices when they are not in use. They not only generate heat, making your room warmer, but they also add significantly to your electricity bill. This also applies to any electronic equipment that you may forgetfully keep on standby even when they are not being used.
• Use fluorescent lighting in your house as they dissipate lesser energy when compared to incandescent lights.

We’ll discuss some more energy saving tips in the next post.

The latest low flow designs have become extremely popular in the plumbing world. The major advantage of low flow models is that they save you a lot of water and bring down your utility expenses.

Low flow toilets: If you have had a toilet for years, then chances are that it must have started giving you problems such as leaks and inefficient flushing. What you probably don’t know is that with each flush, your old toilet is wasting several gallons of water. Older toilets are estimated to use more than five gallons of water per flush. If you replace it with the latest low flow model, you can save up to twenty thousands gallons of water every year.

Low flow faucet aerators: The faucets in your home use up to seven gallons of water each minute when they are fully open, most of which ends up being wasted. Low flow aerators, which work on the principle of breaking the water flow into smaller spurts and spraying air into the stream of water, can deal with this problem effectively. They can reduce flow to a gallon per minute in the bathroom and about 2 gallons per minute in the kitchen sink.

Similarly low flow showerheads can save you more than three gallons of water each minute compared to older models.

You can also conserve water by getting leaks in your kitchen and bathroom repaired immediately. Hire the services of an experienced plumber to get the job done properly.

Water heater leaks can not only ruin your day, but also burn a hole in your pocket, as they can inflate your water bills. If you have had a water heater for many years now, it is time for you to consider buying a new one.

It should come as a surprise if your water heater has lasted 10 years or more. According to experts, water heaters have a life of just nine years on an average. Beyond that, they pose a risk of water leaks.

So, if you and your family members are still relying on your old water heater, don’t be fooled by the false sense of safety. Remember that disaster can strike any time and you will wish that you had bought a new heater. An old leaky water heater will not only have a higher running cost, it will also pose a safety risk.

The concept of Indoor Air Quality systems has become increasingly popular as they claim to provide a healthy and comfortable environment inside your home. High quality IAQ products are especially beneficial to those suffering from allergies and asthma. However, recent reports indicate that certain IAQ products can actually cause harm to you.

This is especially true in the case of some air purifiers that claim to clean the air, but do precious little, and in fact even lead to dangerous levels of ozone inside your home or office. Don’t forget that a large concentration of ozone can cause severe respiratory failure. And if you have plants in the room in which you have placed the purifier, then chances are that they will wilt after being exposed to the ozone.

Electrostatic filters are marketed heavily these days. But they can have a serious impact on air flow in the area where they are installed. They can lead to a serious pressure drop and cause air shortage at the end of a duct. These filters not only reduce the quality of the air and your comfort, they can also have a negative effect on your cooling or heating system.

That is why before you invest in an IAQ product, you should make sure that you understand how the product actually works. Don’t go by tall claims made by the manufacturer. Do some online research or take help from an expert so that you get all the benefits that you seek from the system.

A water alarm can warn you of water leaks that could have occurred in your home without any prior warning. Remember that water is an excellent conductor of electricity, and hence flooding can actually be quite dangerous too. You can breathe easy if you get a water alarm fitted in your home, as you never know when it may come in handy.

Water leaks can be caused by washing machines, dishwashers, water heaters and other such sources. Whenever such a leak occurs, a water alarm gives you an audible warning so that you can take immediate action and prevent the water level from rising and causing problems. This alarm however is useful if you are at home most of the time. If you and your family members are away during the day, then it might not be of as much help. But then, as you can never accurately predict when a water leak will occur, a water alarm will be a good safety installation anyway.

Water alarms have become quite popular after people discovered that it would take just a simple alert and timely intervention to stop homes and basements from flooding. They are especially helpful if you live in an apartment building.

There are different types of water alarms, and some of them work on battery power. If you don’t want to deal with a flood or massive seepage problem in your home, then it is time you bought this useful piece of home safety equipment.

Lock up before heading to bed – that’s the latest warning issued to residents in an area where a string of bold burglaries has been occurring.

A rash of break-ins in the Beltline prompted law enforcement officials to release a warning to Calgarians: lock up at lights out. After a total of eight break-and-enters in just a little over a week, police say Calgarians must be diligent in protecting their property by locking their doors.

Seven of the eight burglaries occurred at night, and astonishingly, in most instances, the residents were at home when the burglar crept in through an unlocked window or door. Makes you think about installing central air conditioning as opposed to having window units! The burglaries occurred in the areas of 17 and 18 Avenues and between 7 and 10 Street S.W.

The crafty crook sometimes utilized a ladder in order to gain access to higher-storey homes. Victims of this string of burglaries say that the bandit took items like wallets, purses, cash, cell phones, and computers.

A current police investigation is looking into whether or not the burglaries are indeed related.

The suspect in these crimes is described as a white male between the ages of 25 to 28 years old with curly black hair past his ears.

Police also suspect that a second man acts as a lookout for the burglar as he does his dirty work.

Anyone who may have information about these crimes is urged to contact police at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or online at www.ttttips.com.