From leaving the lights on to taking long showers to turning the thermostat up and down in a bid to achieve instant temperature control, children can significantly increase your utility bills due to their wasteful habits. For that reason, teaching kids about HVAC and energy efficiency should be a priority. Use the tips below to get them involved in saving energy at home.
Discuss the Thermostat
Your HVAC system is a major energy consumer. One of its parts that you interact with the most is the thermostat. Take the time to talk to your kids about how its settings affect energy efficiency. Explain to them why they should leave the settings alone to make them appreciate the need to have adults solely responsible for managing the device.
Do Basic HVAC Maintenance Together
Kids love doing adult work. Ask them to help you in doing basic maintenance tasks, such as:
Inspecting and cleaning or replacing air filters
Cleaning air vents
Looking for air leaks
Hosing down the exterior A/C unit
As you perform these tasks, make sure you explain to them the importance of what you're doing.
Give Rewards
A great way to prevent children from viewing conservation as a new chore is by turning it into a game. For example, you could come up with a game to find out and reward the person that best remembers to unplug unused appliances or turn off the lights. You could also keep track of their energy-saving habits and reward them once they meet certain goals.
Involve Them in HVAC Decisions
Are you planning to upgrade your thermostat? Let the kids help you choose a new programmable thermostat. If your furnace or air conditioner needs repair or replacement, talk to the young ones about the process. Allow them to watch your HVAC technician work and encourage them to ask questions.
Teaching kids about energy efficiency helps them develop good habits that will yield lifelong benefits. For more tips on energy efficiency, contact us at Air Assurance. Our friendly all-NATE certified technicians serve the Broken Arrow area with safe, effective, and efficient HVAC services.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.