The cold blustery winter months are behind us in the Northern Virginia/South Carolina area.  The sunshine is beginning to peek out and welcome the spring and summer in.  However, with the sunshine comes higher energy costs.  I'm going to give you a few tips on how to save money and energy during the summer.

First, do a thorough inspection of your home.  This includes everything from the attic to the basement.  Windows, doors, vents, electrical sockets (yes, drafts can form here, too) and insulation all need a good look-see.  You want to identify where possible hot air can be coming in and cool air can be leaking out.  Then, you will need to replace or repair anything that requires attention.

Windows/Doors/Skylights - In the wintertime, you don't want the cold air coming in to your Northern Virginia home.  In the summertime, you don't want it getting out.  Replace worn trim, old caulking or dried out weatherstripping.  If you find the need to replace your windows completely, consider using an insulating wrap on the newly installed window.  Right now, you can take advantage of tax credits available when you upgrade your home to be more energy-efficient.  Read more at the Energy Star website.

Insulation - Odds are that, if you own an older Northern Virginia/South Carolina home, your attic insulation may be in need of replacement.  There are plenty of high quality insulations available that won't cost you an arm and a leg to install.  Check with your local home and garden center to see what they can recommend.

Fans - Ceiling fans are a great way to circulate the air in a room while cooling it down and cost much less to operate than your central air conditioning or window unit.  If you don't want to install a ceiling fan in your South Carolina home, an oscillating floor fan or even a small desk fan can cool you off with less energy than the larger central/forced air unit.  For those of you with a window cooling unit, consider buying a nice portable air conditioning unit from $300-$500 dollars.  These can be placed in any room you are in and are easy to take with you.  You only really need to cool the areas of the house that are being used at the time.

Programmable Thermostats - If you don't have one, you should consider purchasing one.  They aren't very expensive and are available at all larger home and gardening centers.  Keep your thermostat turned up during the day when you are at work and the kids are at school (around 80 is fine).  Set it to begin cooling off the house around 30 minutes before everyone typically gets home.  That way, you aren't cooling your Northern Virginia house off when no one is in it and it is comfortable when you do settle in for the night.  Turning it completely off can cause the unit to work extra hard to cool down the house to a reasonable temperature, defeating the whole purpose of not having it run while you are gone.

Filters - During the winter, you only need to change your filters once every three months or so to keep them working properly.  However, during the warmer summer months, you are asking your air conditioner to work harder for you.  Change the filter on a monthly basis.  A fresh filter cleans the air much better than a dirty one, allowing the unit to work much more efficiently and only costs a few dollars.

Unplug - Any appliance that is plugged into the wall should be unplugged when not in use.  This includes TVs, stereos, toasters, chargers, fans, etc.  Even when they are turned off, appliances that are plugged into the wall will still draw power.  The cost incurred from this can make up as much as 5-7% of your monthly electric bill.  While that may not sound like much, it can amount to hundreds of dollars over time.

Light Bulbs - Replace the old incandescent and fluorescent lights with lower energy CFLs.  Those are the curly-Q looking light bulbs you see at the store.  They cost slightly more than traditional incandescent lights but will save you money in the long run by using less electricity, which translates to lower electrical bills.  And, honestly, the initial investment is really not that much money.

So, follow these simple steps and you'll be saving money and energy during the summer in Northern Virginia, South Carolina, Washington DC or anywhere you are across the country.  If you're looking for a new energy-efficient home you want to call all your own, I'm just the guy you need.  Contact me today!

Gene Mock, your Northern Virginia, South Carolina and Washington DC real estate specialist