While Nebraska is famous for its temperamental temperature, we like to take this neutral season to take action against it! Taking steps to make your home more energy efficient will ensure that not only will your home stay cooler during the upcoming brutal heat of summer, and warm no matter what next fall and winter bring, but you’ll be reducing your environmental impact.

Keeping the planet healthy for generations to come starts with making small changes in our energy efficiency today. Even small changes can have an enormous cumulative impact, and Dundee Bank has put together a few ideas to cut our customer’s utility costs, and carbon footprint!

Insulate

Adding insulation is an easy step to help regulate your home’s temperature year-round. Energy is easily wasted when walls and attics are poorly insulated. When your home’s heater or ac have to constantly grind to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, the cost continues to add up. Once your utility bill arrives, you’ll know exactly what your father was yelling about when he would holler “I’m not paying to air condition the outside!”

Evaluate Doors and Windows

Is the energy you’re paying for flying right out the window? It might be, literally. Think about our last winter storm. Did the snow quickly melt just outside of your front door? What about the sliding glass on your deck? Your home’s temperature-controlled air is slipping through the cracks, and you’re paying for it! Spring is an excellent time to evaluate your home’s windows and doors. Single pane windows do little to retain energy, but double paned are twice the protection! Weather stripping should be replaced as often as needed, and an energy evaluation can tell you exactly where your home is letting things slip.

Your Spring remodel could also include beautiful new curtains or blinds, both to bring the style of your room together, and to add protection against the elements! Adding thick curtains not only helps to regulate the temperature of a room, but it protects your walls and furniture from sun bleaching, helping them to last longer as well! Have you ever had to fight your children to go to bed in the summer, since the sun is still up? Blackout curtains keep their room cool, and stops the sun from convincing them it isn’t bedtime!

Invest in a New Thermostat

Programmable thermostats allow homeowners to access climate controls to optimize their temperature settings. Schedule temperature changes while nobody is home to save on energy costs, and even use smart phone apps to ensure the temperature change before returning home. It is wise to never adjust the temperature more than 2 degrees at a time, and a smart thermostat comes in handy for gradual adjustments during the day, or while you are away from home for an extended time. Keeping your home at a safe temperature, and ensuring that it has adjusted back to your comfort before you return not only saves money, but makes life just a little easier!

That’s Using Your (Shower) Head!

Water is one of earth’s most precious resources, and many communities around the world are suffering without access to clean, reliable water. We are so fortunate to live in an area with an abundance of safe water, but that doesn’t mean it should go to waste. Rather than sacrificing shower time, consider investing in a water-saving shower head. Enjoy the same water pressure, without the waste! 

Consider Your Appliance

There are an infinite number of products on the market that make cooking more convenient, but what you may not realize is that they also make cooking more energy efficient! Pressure cookers, Crock pots, and similar methods can save significant energy when it comes to preparing your family’s meals. The convenience is overshadowed only by the eco-friendliness of these devices, and most come with handy cook books and guides to ensure your dinner is just as delicious as it is energy-conscious. 

It’s easy to see how energy has been slipping through our fingers, but a few small changes can save us from some pretty big impact! Dundee Bank is excited to celebrate Earth Day with you by adjusting the way we use energy, a little bit at a time.