So, it’s a perfect time to put our minds to some tips and tricks that will help you conserve energy.
Thermostat thoughts
First, let’s start out with a rather simple option. Turn down your thermostat. Obviously, this can help you save energy. But there’s a side benefit too: it can also save you money. And who doesn’t like to save money?
But before you start getting too excited, remember turning down the thermostat may be simple. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. It might require you doing a couple extra things to keep yourself comfy when the temp drops.
Turn it down at night
Nights are actually a good time to lower the heat setting on your mobile home. Why? Because you may not notice effects quite so much as during the day. Turn down the heat, then tuck yourself into bed under a heavy comforter. Keep a bathrobe and slippers by the bed to help you stay comfier if you have to get up during the night.
When you’re away
If you’re going to be gone from home, that’s another great time to turn the heat down. Just make sure you keep it at a level where you won’t create other problems (e.g. frozen pipes). Plus, when you return home, just keep your coat on in the house for a few minutes until you can take the chill off the air.
Throw blankets are your “friends”
If you know you’re going to be keeping the thermostat a little lower this year than before, stock up on throw blankets. This way, when you sit down on the couch for a little break, you can use a blanket to stay cozy instead of cranking up the heat.
Dress for the weather
While this may sound like a no-brainer, we’ll throw it out because it may make your lower-thermostat season more enjoyable. Dress according to the temp in your house. If you’re trying to keep from overusing the heat, now’s not the time to be wearing short sleeves and flip-flops. Instead, grab your sweaters and socks from wherever in the closet you buried them at the start of summer.
Optimize the house
And let’s keep going with some more thoughts for your mobile home.
Thick drapes
If you don’t have drapes on your window, grab some and put them up. This can help keep cold air out around drafty windows.
Stuff for in front of the doors
If a particular door is extra drafty, consider sealing it off with some plastic for the cold seasons. That is if you have another adequate egress. Or, simply roll up a blanket or towel and place it on the inside at the base of the door where you feel the airflow.
Cover air conditioning registers
If your air conditioning system is separate from your heat system, you may have A/C registers that let in some unwelcome breezes. Of course, you won’t need the A/C in the cool weather, so you may want to cover these registers over with plastic.
Cover electrical outlets
Another drafty spot that could easily slip by you is your electrical outlets. Keep in mind that your house could be getting some chilly air through them. For more on drafty outlets, check out this article from Family Handyman.
Make it easier to recycle
Sometimes, when the weather gets cold, you may find yourself getting lazy. It may just feel too cold to go outside. Or perhaps too cold to tackle that household project. Even if you want to recycle, it may seem just a little harder in the colder months, especially if your recycling container is in the garage, shed, or outside.
So, make it easier for yourself. Keep a container for recycling inside the house. Put it somewhere that’s easy to access. Then, consolidate your trips to the actual recycling bin. This way, you won’t be constantly tracking in and out of the house, lowering both your temperature and the temperature of your house.
Look at your lighting
And here’s an idea that came from Ashlee Christian over on the Freelancers Union blog. We added some bonus commentary.
“Switching to a compact fluorescent or LED bulb will lower your energy costs and consumption all while saving you money!” Yes, there may be an initial investment of money to purchase all new light bulbs. However, if that bothers you, you can always use a phase-out process.
For instance, purchase your new light bulbs one package at a time. Then, as your old bulbs blow, replace them with your new version. As long as all your light bulbs don’t blow at once for some strange reason, just continue with this process until all the lights in your house use the new bulbs. After that point, just go forward with purchasing the new kind of bulbs. By using a phase-out method instead of replacing them all at once, you won’t be wasting your old bulbs that are still usable.
Eco-friendly, fall-friendly
Now you’ve got some ideas to help you conserve energy and money in your mobile home. Finally, we’ll leave you with one more thing you can do to welcome the season. Get ready for the season of cool breezes and crunching leaves with Some Visual Inspiration To Decorate Your Mobile Home For Fall.
