Step one should be preventive maintenance. You should have a tune-up and efficiency test done on your heating and cooling systems. This will give you a baseline to start your energy conservation measures. If your heating system falls in the mid 70% or lower range, you may want to consider upgrading the system. If your efficiency rating is below 70%, we highly recommend you replace your system. The money spent for an upgrade will be recouped in a few years from the fuel savings of a more efficient system and with the advancement in controls, motors and ignitors you will also use less electricity. The following tips will help you to have a more comfortable and efficient home this year.
- During the summer months much can be done to reduce the amount of energy used to cool your home. Keep shades and drapes closed on the south side of your home. This will prevent the room from heating up from solar gain. Conversely, in the winter you can use that same south facing window to warm the room by leaving the drapes open during the day.
- Clean or replace the air filter on your heating and air conditioning system at least once a month.
- Planting selective trees around your home will shade you in the summer. Those same trees will lose their leaves in the winter and let sun into your home in the winter months.
- Weather stripping the windows and doors works in summer to keep the hot air out and in winter to keep the cold air out.
- Seal leaking duct work. Sealing can be accomplished with mastic or other products specifically labeled for duct sealing. Wrapping the ducts with fiberglass insulation or rigid foam insulation will help too.
- Install a programmable automatic setback thermostat. Several of these thermostats have both a heating and cooling feature.
- When using kitchen and bathroom fans, remember to shut them off as soon as you are done with them. In as little as one hour you could remove a houseful of heat or air conditioning.
- Follow the 10% rule: If you want to turn your heat down when you leave the house for the day, do NOT turn the thermostat down more than 10%. For example, if you keep the temperature at 70% when you are home, do not turn it down lower than 63% when you leave the house. Your walls, furniture, floors... everything... loses the absorbed heat. Your heating system will have to work harder and longer when it's time to turn it up to your comfort level again! Programmable thermostats are available to help you control the temperature.
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