Residential Energy Savings

Take a summer vacation from high-energy bills with these tips.

• Swimming pools are a wonderful part of summer but you should take a loo at some potential savings that get ignored.  Trim the hours of pump operation back to a minimum.  Figure out the bare minimum needed to keep the pool clean and grab the savings.  Also, the cover will keep the heat in.  Keep the cover on the pool when it is not being used and keep the heat in.
• Plating trees now for the summers ahead will provide energy saving shade in the near future.  Deciduous trees will also lose their leaves in the winter allowing the sun to shine through and help add a little heat to the home as well.
• Do the laundry… all at once.  It may sound silly but it will actually save money.  By doing load after load you don’t let the dryer cool down completely.  To really save some cash, hang clothes to dry outside.
• Pull the curtains away from vents and make sure furniture is not covering them as well.  Along with lamps placed too close to the thermostat these issues force your air conditioner to work more than it needs to.
• Consider a chimney cleaning.  Sounds crazy, we know.  However by doing it now you will avoid the wait that comes in the winter and may even see a savings due to off season rates.
• Your air conditioner and your conventional oven do not get along.  Consider summer BBQ’s, slow cookers, and even the microwave to make dinner.  Firing up the oven could add up to 30% more to energy bills.*

Keep your eyes peeled for these and other types of savings out there this summer.  Enjoying the weather is just that much better when you are saving money at the same time.

*Source: Progress Energy

Top 10 ways to control allergies - From our friends at Lennox

1. Turn on your A/C. Your air conditioning system not only filters the air inside your home, it helps remove excess moisture that can lead to allergy-triggering mold and mildew. Buy a humidity gauge at a home improvement store; if your home's humidity registers above 50% with the air conditioner on, your system may not be sized properly.

2. Change your furnace filter. Inspecting and replacing your furnace filter regularly helps your HVAC system filter out allergens more efficiently.

3. Leave your shoes at the door. And change your clothes after spending time outdoors. Otherwise you're simply tracking in pollen and other outdoor allergens and distributing them throughout your home.

4. Wash sheets and pillowcases weekly in hot water. Encasing pillows, mattresses and box springs in plastic covers will also help control the growth of dust mites.

5. Install an air purifier like the PureAir™ Air Purification System from Lennox. Air purifiers remove small, breathable particles of dust, dirt, pollen and allergens to improve your home's air quality. The PureAir system also removes airborne mold spores, bacteria, viruses, odors and chemical vapors to help you breathe a sigh of relief.

6. Kill mold now. If you're allergic to pollen and pet dander, you're probably sensitive to mold spores, too. Mold loves to grow where it's warm and damp (like the bathroom), so each week clean bath mats in hot water and clean the corners of your shower or tub. Always turn on the ventilation fan while you're taking a shower.

7. Use a germicidal light to kill contaminants. Ultraviolet lights like the Healthy Climate® UV Germicidal Light attach to your home's furnace or air handler, destroying contaminants at their source and removing them before the air is recalculated into your home.

8. Target pests. Cockroaches and mice have allergens in their saliva and droppings that can make you sneeze. Be sure to clean regularly under your stove and refrigerator to remove crumbs, and don't leave dishes in the sink.

9. Vacuum using a HEPA filter system or double-layer bags. Dust mites take up residence in your living room, bedroom, anywhere there's upholstery and carpet. Use the vacuum's upholstery attachment to remove pet hair from furniture, and keep pets off chairs as much as possible.

10. Remove clutter. Knickknacks, books, magazines and stuffed animals collect dust. Store them away in plastic bins to keep your home cleaner.

There is $500 to save from five rooms in your home.

Smart energy efficiency will lower your utility bills.  Here are 5 places to start.

·       There is $215 in your living room – Start by replacing 5 bulbs on the most used fixtures.  Compact fluorescent bulbs can reach a savings of $65 each in one year.  Not only do they use less energy, but they have a life span reaching 10 times longer than the incandescent bulbs you are now using.  That means savings for years to come.  Follow that up with a Lennox ComfortSense 7000 thermostat and add another $150 per year to the living rooms savings.  In the summer, for instance, this unit will managing your cooling dollars by lowering the temperature while you are at home and let it alone while you are at work or sleeping.

·       $145 is sitting in the bathroom.  By replacing your shower a 2.5-gallon per minute model and keeping your shower time to 10 minutes you are going to be saving 5 gallons and up to $145 per year.

·       You can gather up another $74 from the laundry room.  Buying cold-water laundry detergent will save $24 - $40 in fuel costs to heat water each year.  $34 is stuck in the lint trap.  Cleaning this trap out each load will help increase the drying efficiency of your dryer.

·       Find $36 in your basement.  Take the temperature down on the hot water heater a little to 120 degrees.  This small adjustment can reach as high as $61 each year in savings.

·       Check the kitchen for another $35.  Just one drip per second from a leaking hot water fixture equals 1,661 gallons of water in just one year.  Fixing these leaks is an easy way to save electricity or natural gas.

This list can go on and on.  Some homes will even be able to save more per room than our estimates.  The point is that every little bit helps.  Starting room by room makes it easier to get hold of things and start heading down that road of energy efficiency.

Source: James & Morris Carey

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient TIP # 6

Install a programmable thermostat

            How does an extra $100 sound?  That is just what you could be saving each year with an ENERGY STAR® qualified thermostat.  When used properly this tool can help keep the energy costs of your HVAC system to a minimum.  There are a number of ways this unit can help, but to maximize the savings be sure to keep the thermostat set to energy saving temperatures for any longer periods of time.  At night or when you are at work the system should remain idle and set to wake up as needed based on your schedule.  The programable features of these devices allow you to create a well planned heating or cooling sequence of just in time service.  If you take a second to think about it... Why cool the house when nobody will be home for the next 10 hours.  Back the air conditioner off after your last cup of coffee and allow it to rest while you are out.  Then about an hour before quitting time the program should be set to get back up to speed so you can come home to a cool house and some even cooler savings.  We have these thermostats on hand and the expertise to get your schedule loaded.  Just give us a call... we will be happy to help.

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient TIP # 5

Make sure equipment is the right size for your home

            A bigger diamond is better.  A bigger bonus is better.  Isn't bigger always better?  Not exactly.  When it comes to your homes HVAC system the fact is that bigger isn't always better.  It is important to get an air conditioner, furnace or any type of HVAC unit that fits your homes demands.  A system that is too big will cycle on and then off again frequently.  That is going to waste energy and run the unit ragged.  Also it will not run long enough to get the humidity removed from the air.  That will have a negative impact on the comfort and health of your home.  Be sure to call one of our HVAC professionals out to your home.  They can take a look around and give you some advice on just what you may be interested in.   We are available and are glad to help.

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient TIP # 4

Replace old equipment with ENERGY STAR® products

            Since the early 1990's the ENERGY STAR® label has been used to advise consumers of the 10-40% savings in energy costs over federal standards.  When the time does come to purchase new heating or cooling equipment then be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR® label.  The advances in technology of these HVAC units will not only improve your comfort in the home but the impact they will have on your utility payments will be significant.  This label has been adopted by many other countries such as Australia, Canada, and Japan among others as a best practice in offering consumers a better more informed shopping experience.  Take a look at the Air Conditioners and the Furnaces we offer.  Our staff would be glad to go over any questions you may get.  The opportunity to save money on your energy bill go far beyond the HVAC system.  Dishwasher, Washer & Dryer, even light bulbs can carry the ENERGY STAR logo.  Keep an eye out for that logo whenever you are shopping for an energy related item and grab hold of the savings.

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient TIP # 3

Seal ducts

            An issue that results in a 20% reduction of your air handling systems performance should make you sit up and take notice.  The increase work load on that system to overcome the loss will cost you money and create unnecessary wear and tear.  That is just the case when ducts are blocked or damaged.  The loss of air conditioned or heated air can be significant.  This is not usually the easiest dilemma to solve.  Even the best Do It Yourself homeowners may not be able to get this job done right.  Consider calling a HVAC professional in on this one.  Getting under the home or into the attic crawl space tends to be a less than enjoyable experience.  Also some the tools used to look for blockage in your duct work have cameras attached and allow the technician to get deep into the duct and see just what may be creating the blockage.  Not the typical tool in your garage.

            Give us a call and we will be able to give you a better idea on just what the next step should be if you think there may be a problem with your duct work.  We will be glad to assist you in getting your system working more efficiently.

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient TIP # 2

Seal air leaks

            Time to climb... up into that attic and down into the basement!  The gaps in the insulation are costing you money... period.  New homes are no exception either.  Homes are built better and better every year however, one small gap in the insulation during the install process will act as energy faucet.  Older homes tend to get hit harder when it comes to insulation concerns.  Often times our HVAC professionals will come into contact with an insulation gap created by mice or other varmints that may have been there for years.  Patching up these holes will go a long way in not only controlling the cost of heating or cooling your home but also keeping that system from cycling on and off so often will prevent wear and tear.

            If you would rather not spend the afternoon in the attic or basement of your home or business... we can understand.  Give us a call and one of our professional HVAC technicians would be glad to have a look for you.  Together we can get your homes leaks patched up and ready for the season.

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient TIP # 1

Your heating and cooling system... MAINTAIN IT!

            A little TLC can go a long way.  Having an HVAC professional scheduled for maintenance on your homes HVAC system is as good as it gets.  These people will find any issue that may be coming to the surface and fix it before it becomes a problem.  The alternative of charging head-on into a 100 degree summer day just as the air conditioning takes a dive is no alternative at all.  The same is true for the winter season.  Hard to envision a sub zero day without the furnace because you never took a look at things before the cold weather started setting in.

            Follow up the scheduled maintenance with monthly air filter changes and you are on your way to keeping that system good and healthy.  It is important to keep the air filter changed for a few very important reasons.  First, the air flow through a congested air filter is going to force the system to work harder.  This will cost you money as the unit has to remain on longer.  Second, a system that has to work harder to achieve the same results is getting unnecessary wear and tear and therefore shortening the lifespan of that system.  Third, it is all about what you are breathing.  The best way to catch the allergens, dander and other pollutants is by keeping that air filter fresh.  If your family has particular issues with allergies be sure to take a closer look at some of the high end filters available.  They may just make the air in your home more breathable than you had previously thought possible.

            Feel free to give us a call regarding air filters or HVAC maintenance.  We will be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Top 10 Tips for spring storm preparation

1. Find your safest place to wait out a storm.

If you don’t have a basement or storm shelter, choose a small room without windows such as a bathroom or central closet. Discuss this location with everyone in your family.

2. Create a storm emergency kit. In a waterproof container, place flashlights, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, blankets, a first-aid kit, non-perishable food and a large container of drinking water.

3. Invest in a generator. If your power goes out, a home generator can restore electricity safely in as little as 10 seconds.

4. Survey trees for weak branches. Remove loose tree limbs to keep them from falling on your home or car during a storm.

5.Buy a NOAA Weather Radio. Available online or from electronics stores, weather radios broadcast warnings, watches and other weather information from the nearest National Weather Service office 24 hours a day, even when the TV or other radios are turned off.

6. Put aside some emergency cash. If the power is out, ATMs and credit cards can’t be used.

7. Secure artwork and other loose items. Use v-hooks instead of nails to mount paintings, which will allow artwork to shift without falling off the wall.

8. Clear your yard. Keep bikes, shovels and other items in the garage so they aren’t flung around by windstorms.

9. Document your home’s contents. Walk through every room of your home to prepare a list of possessions, taking photos and videos, to help with insurance claims later.

10. Check your insurance policies. Make sure your home and auto policies provide adequate coverage for wind and hail storms.