Tips to Improve Gas Mileage

That old saying, "What goes up, must come down" is not true about everything, especially when it comes to gas prices. No matter if you have homes you clean that are miles apart or you're just making a trip to buy supplies, the more miles you get per gallon of gas means more profit for your house cleaning business. Most gas stations charge about the same for gas, so comparison shopping for the "best deal" is not necessarily a good option. However, there are some practical tips you can use to get better gas mileage for your cleaning company's vehicles.

1. Keep your car tuned up, tires properly inflated and the wheels aligned. You can save at least one mile per gallon by keeping your car in top shape.
   
   
2. Change your motor oil on a regular basis. By changing the oil regularly (as recommended in your manual) you will increase the life of the car's engine. Clean oil reduces the wear caused by the friction created between moving parts. Clean oil also removes harmful dirt and grit from the engine.
   
   
3. Remember to change your air filter regularly. The air filter keeps impurities in the air from damaging internal engine components. Besides increasing fuel economy, clean air filters protect the engine. If the air filter is clogged, it can increase fuel consumption by 10 percent.
   
   
4. According to studies done by U.S. Department of Energy, nearly four million gallons of gasoline could be saved nationwide each day for every one pound per square inch (psi) of tire under-inflation, compared to the mileage if ALL vehicle tires were kept inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure.
   
   
5. Remove Excess weight. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle can reduce your miles per gallon (MPG) by up to 2%. Make sure you remove any unnecessary items and store them at your office.
   
   
6. Avoid excessive idling. Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates approximately four million gallons of gasoline are wasting each day by the 145 million passenger vehicles that are sitting there idling five minutes. Even in cold weather, modern engines do not need excessive warm-up times. Save gas by avoiding excessive warm-up time.
   
   
7. Drive sensibly. This means slowing down and avoiding quick speed ups and slow downs. Driving 55 mph as opposed to driving 65 to 70 mph can get you up to 20% better gas mileage. A general rule of thumb to remember is that for every mph you drive over 60 mph you are paying an 20 to 25 cents per gallon for gas.
   
   
8. Plan trips wisely. If you have several homes to clean make sure that your route does not include backtracking. If you are doing several errands, picking up supplies or meeting potential clients, make plans so you can combine all of your driving into one outing.
   
   
9. When driving on the highway keep your windows closed. This eliminates air drag. You can reduce your mileage by up to 10% if your windows are open when driving at high speeds on the highway.
   
   
10. Air conditioning is a big fuel consumer. It can reduce your fuel efficiency by 10 to 20%! Think twice before turning on your vehicle's air conditioner.
    
    
11. If it all possible, avoid driving during rush hours. The added starts and stops of rush hour traffic will cut into your gas mileage.
    
    
12. Anticipate merging traffic and stoplights and decelerate and accelerate smoothly and slowly. Also, when approaching hills, start accelerating before you get to the hill rather than waiting until you are actually driving on the hill.
    
13. Turn off your engine without revving it. There is no added benefit and it revving your engine wastes gas.

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Jean Hanson helps owners of residential cleaning companies build a more profitable and successful cleaning business through her online community at MyHouseCleaningBiz.com. Read inspirational cleaning success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com, and sign up for House Cleaning Profit Tips at //www.myhousecleaningbiz.com.