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Decreasing the Heating and Cooling Costs at Your Second Home
Make sure that you're not losing unnecessary cold air, heat, and money at your condo or cabin.
When purchasing a vacation home, most potential second homeowners considered the cost of the mortgage, insurance, remodeling, and upkeep. However, even the most forward-looking owner couldn't have anticipated the through-the-roof utility bills caused by rising energy prices. With the cost of heating and cooling your home increasing drastically in recent years, it's imperative that you consider these energy (and money) saving tips:
Free
• Close your chimney damper when not using it. Why air condition and heat the outdoors?
• Keep heat-emitting appliances (TVs, dishwashers, lamps) away from your thermostat. These objects trick your thermostat into over-cooling your home.
• Don't forget to turn down the air-conditioning/heater while your home is unoccupied.
Low Cost
• Buy a programmable thermostat. Much energy is lost cooling and heating your house when you're not there. There are also thermostats available that will automatically turn off when the doors are opened so you will not waste energy when your guests have left the house.
• Add weather stripping to windows and doors. A draft from a leaky window can chill a room in an instant. Also looks for holes or cracks along your walls, ceilings, windows, or doors.
• Use white window coverings in the summer months to reflect sunlight.
• Position your air conditioning unit on the north side of your house where it will receive optimal shade. Also, consider planting trees or shrubs nearby to provide additional cover.
• Clean/replace furnace and air conditioning filters each month.
• Install ceiling fans in each room. Most fans use little more energy than a typical light bulb. |
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Small Investments
• Check the state of the insulation in your attic and crawlspaces. If it does not comply with the recommended level for your area, consider upgrading.
• Switch out non-insulated exterior doors for their insulated counterparts.
• Install awnings on the south-facing and west-facing windows.
• Consider whole-house fans.
Sizeable Investments (but well worth it!)
• Replace single-pane windows with the double-pane or storm variety.
• Re-Roofing? Consider switching to light-colored tiles that will reflect sunlight.
• Enjoy sunlight? Consider putting in a skylight. If installed properly, a skylight can decrease heating, cooling, and lighting costs-- and add a selling point when marketing your rental home to potential guests.
• Use landscaping to your advantage. An expertly planted tree can block the wind in the winter and the sun in the hot summer months.
Utility Fees
If these cost-saving tips still aren't enough to help you combat the soaring energy bills, you might resort to adding a utility fee to your rates. In Europe, it is common practice to read the electric meter before and after your guests' stay, and then add a fuel surcharge to the bill. Admittedly, this could be a deterrent for some guests, but it might be a necessity if it's the only way to keep your head above water. Just remember to use this fee to help off-set rising costs; it's probably not a good idea to try to boost your bottom line with this kind of surcharge.
*Hire a professional to complete any task you don't feel 100% confident in completing. Reading an “Idiots Guide To…” does not make you an expert and it always pays off in the long run to have it done right the first time.
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What tips do you have for saving electricity at your vacation home?
"I put a note in my house guidelines reminding guests to turn off lights before they leave the house. I'm not there to control my guests, but it doesn't hurt to include a friendly reminder." - Janet F., Ogunquit, ME.
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© Copyright 2006 HomeAway, Inc, Updated 9/18/08
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