DWeLL
siMPle living
d
O
i
N
g
re

mO
l
ess
With
dO IT HERSELF
Save energy―and money―with these easy home maintenance projects
that won’t put a damper on your summer plans. By sanDra shraDEr
T
he weather’s warming up, the days
are getting longer and it’s time for
your summer “honey do” home
project list! But if you’re single, have
a “tool challenged” spouse or simply
don’t have the desire or time to spend
on household repairs, just putting your
home’s three biggest energy hogs—your
air-conditioning, water heater and
refrigerator—at the top of your “to do”
list can reap big savings.
It’s estimated that sixty percent of all air
conditioning service calls are due to dirty
filters so checking your air-conditioning
vents and filters is a must this summer.
“Accumulation of dirt on the filter
makes the fan motor work harder and
become less efficient,” explained Eitan
Aharoni, building contractor/architect
and Carlsbad-based author of The
6-Minute Home Inspection Guide for
the Home Buyer & Residential Investor.
According to Aharoni, just changing your
filters (which can cost less than $3 each)
monthly, can save you up to $100 a year
in energy costs, especially if you have
pets or children running in and out of
the house. “It’s not difficult to do; just
be sure the system is not on while you’re
doing it,” advised Aharoni, adding that
replacing your air filters regularly can
also prolong the life of your unit.
Another simple fix-it budget saver
is reducing the temperature of your
water heater, the second largest energy
consumer in your home.
“A water heater can actually last 10
to 15 years if not abused,” said Aharoni,
who recommends setting the temperature
gauge to ‘medium’ and raising it from
there by trial and error to meet your
MYunDERTHESun.COM l junE 33
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52