Blog / Energy Saving Tips

Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home.  Typically, 43% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling systems. 

No matter what kind of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system you have in your house, you can save money and increase your comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment.  Here are some simple tips to help you save energy in your home.

• Combine proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, air sealing and thermostat settings, and you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling. 
  
• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the cooler winter months and as high as comfortable in the summer months.  Invest in a programmable thermostat.
   
• Clean or replace furnace or a/c filters once a month or as needed.
   
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting or drapes.
   
• Turn off kitchen, bath and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
   
• During cool days, keep draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from the cold windows.
   
• During hot days, keep window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.
   
• Long-Term Saving Tips.  Select energy-efficient products when you buy new heating and cooling equipment.  For air conditioners, look for a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER).  The current minimum is 13 SEER for air conditioners.  ENERGY STAR models are 14 SEER or more.