5 Quick “Go Green” Tips to Help You and Your Family This Winter

Stay Green During the Coldest Months of the Year

     Granted, your lawn is looking anything but lively at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be green – as in environmentally savvy. Global warming is caused primarily by a buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth’s atmosphere. And since global warming is now a worldwide concern, it no longer “costs” to go green. In fact, it “pays” to go green, and in more ways than one.

Here are 5 quick tips for going green this season:

Weatherize your home.  It doesn’t take much to reduce your impact on the environment. Simply by caulking around doorways and windows and replacing old weather stripping can reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1700 pounds per year.

Make sure your home has adequate insulation.  This one step can save 25% on your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of CO2 per year.

Replace old appliances with newer energy-efficient models.  Just in time for Christmas. Just by using an energy-efficient refrigerator, you can save 500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Replacing your washing machine with a low-energy, low-water usage machine, will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 440 pounds per year. Converting your gas furnace to a dual fuel system, that pairs a gas furnace with an electric heat pump, will reduce flue emissions by as much as 50% per year.

Upgrade your heat pump and air conditioner to R-410a refrigerant.  The Clean Air Act of 1990 prohibits the production of HCFC-based systems by 2010, and bans Freonâ-22 production by 2020. R-410a refrigerant is environmentally friendly, and if your system ever gets a leak then it will not damage the ozone.

Maintain your HVAC system.  Changing your filter once a month or so maximizes your system’s performance, minimizes its energy usage, and ensures that the system keeps the inside of your home comfortable. And this one simple, but often over-looked step, saves 350 pounds of CO2 each year.

Remember, “green” is about what you can save – energy dollars, carbon dioxide, the environment, and ultimately, our planet. So do your part and go green this winter.

      Howell’s Heating& Air Conditioning has been improving the indoor environments of the Richmond area since 1969.