Habitually having your HVAC system cleaned and tuned up may boost its performance and help reduce your costs because an HVAC system that’s well-maintained can use a great deal less energy than a system that is not. But what else should you do? We have more simple steps you can perform to increase your Beckley and Mount Hope home’s energy efficiency.
- Seal all leaks around your windows and doors. Put on caulk or weatherstripping at the locations you detect leaks.
- Insulate your walls and attic. You might equate insulation with keeping your house warm in the winter, but it also helps in the summer. When it’s hot outside, heat is steadily seeking cooler places—like your home. Ensure you have adequate insulation to keep the heat from moving through your attic and walls and decreasing your home comfort.
- Have your ducts cleaned. Clean ducts make it easier for air to flow through your home, which makes your air conditioner’s job smoother.
- While you’re at it, make sure your ducts are properly sealed to stop air leaks and insulate them if needed. If the ducts are leaking, you are losing valuable heated or cooled air. Properly sealing and insulating ducts is even more critical if they are placed in the attic, a vented crawlspace or any other unconditioned area.
- Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible throughout the summer. To help possibly keep your cooling bill smaller, keep the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures as low as possible. According to the Department of Energy, you can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling by just turning your thermostat back 7° to 10°F from its typical setting for 8 hours a day. If you turn on a ceiling fan in conjunction with your air conditioner, you can raise your thermostat setting by about 4°F without negatively impacting your comfort.
- Install a programmable thermostat. Sure, thermostats can be adjusted manually, but programmable thermostats make managing your home comfort and efficiency so easy. You can automatically modify your temperature when you’re away from home or when you’re sleeping while avoiding discomfort because your home’s temperature will return to normal before you get home or wake up.
- If you decide not to use a programmable thermostat, avoid setting your thermostat at a colder-than-usual setting when you turn on your air conditioner. Your house won’t cool down any faster and will only cost you more money in energy.
- Don’t place lamps, TV sets or other heat-generating appliances by your thermostat. This practice can cause your air conditioner to run longer than necessary because your thermostat senses heat from these appliances and assumes your home needs cooled.
- [Use|Utilize|Take advantage of]54] your windows. If it’s cooler at night, turn off your AC and open the windows. Shut the windows and your curtains or blinds in the morning to trap the cooler air and to avoid heat gain through the windows.
- Invest in new, energy-efficient equipment. If your HVAC equipment is more than 10 years old or not keeping up with your home-comfort needs, call Appalachian Heating for an evaluation. It may be time to replace it with ENERGY STAR®-qualified equipment that can lower your annual energy bill by more than $115, according to energystar.gov.
If you’ve got more questions about how to enhance your home’s energy efficiency, think it could be time for more energy-efficient equipment or simply want to schedule a regular maintenance appointment, call Appalachian Heating at 304-707-0600 and our experts are ready to help.