3 Easy Steps to a More Comfortable Home!

Keeping your home comfortable all year long can be a complicated and expensive process but it doesn’t have to be. We have found that these three simple things will keep you and your family comfortable without breaking your home maintenance budget. 

1. Program your thermostat so that it works for your schedule. Save money on your energy bill by programing your thermostat to adjust the temperature up or down based on the season when you are not home. There is no need to cool or heat the home when you aren’t home but you do want the temperature to change just before you arrive so you are cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 
2.  In the summer, use your ceiling fan in the counterclockwise direction. While standing directly under the ceiling fan you should feel a cool breeze. The airflow produced creates a wind-chill effect, making you “feel” cooler. In the winter, reverse the motor and operate the ceiling fan at low speed in the clockwise direction. This produces a gentle updraft, which forces warm air near the ceiling down into the occupied space. Remember to adjust your thermostat when using your ceiling fan — additional energy and dollar savings could be realized with this simple step!
3. Get some potted plants! Keeping plants inside your home improves your indoor air quality. Plants are notoriously adept at absorbing gases through pores on the surface of their leaves. It’s this skill that facilitates photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy and carbon dioxide into chemical energy to fuel growth. Plants are notoriously adept at absorbing gases through pores on the surface of their leaves. It’s this skill that facilitates photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy and carbon dioxide into chemical energy to fuel growth. But scientists studying the air-purification capacities of indoor plants have found that plants can absorb many other gases in addition to carbon dioxide, including a long list of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Benzene (found in some plastics, fabrics, pesticides and cigarette smoke) and formaldehyde (found in some cosmetics, dish detergent, fabric softener and carpet cleaner)  are examples of common indoor VOCs that plants help eliminate.