How to Save Energy During the Winter Months

Energy saving tips for the winter season will help to keep more money in your wallet and save energy during the cold season. Most techniques below are cheap and pretty easy to implement. Other methods require energy upgrade investments from your local HVAC company that will pay off over time in energy savings.

To manage your heating bill, turn the thermostat down when you are not home, when you go to bed at night or when you have a house full of guests. Before winter hits , make sure that your thermostats are functioning properly. Set the temperature at the most 68 degrees. With a programmable thermostat you can schedule when you would like to have your heating on.

If you are able replace single pane windows with double-pane windows.  If you can't replace your windows you can reduce drafts by attaching a clear plastic film or heavy-duty, plastic clear sheet on your windows.

Heavy curtains or blinds will help to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. Weatherstripping is another simple step in keeping the warmth inside the house. Besides weatherstripping your windows you should weatherize your pipes, vents, doors and water heaters.

The attic and basement are usually where you will find air leaks. Evaluate whether your attic is sufficiently insulated. If it has the insulation of less than R-30 (11" for fiber glass, 8" for cellulose), it needs to be enhanced. You should also check if you need to add the insulation to your basement and your crawl space. Call your local HVAC company to have your insulation performance checked. 

Have all your heating equipment checked by a professional contractor. It is a wise decision to replace older equipment with an energy-efficient model.

Warm air travels up and builds up near the ceiling. Switch your ceiling fan to run in a clockwise direction to dispense the air and move warm air around the room.

If you tend to stay in one room of the house for most of the day, you might consider a space heater for that room only. Close the vents in the rooms you are not using. You could also invest in a new zoned heating thermostat so that you could set the temperature for each room idividually. 

Clean air filters in your heating system to increase energy efficiency and airflow. These filters need to be checked once a month, and replaced when dirty- it may be monthly or every other month.

19% of an average electricity bill comes from water heating. You can lower the bill by using less hot water, turn down the thermostat, insulate your water heater, or investing in an energy-efficient model. When installing the insulation make sure you follow the manufacturer's recommendations or hire a licensed contractor.

By following these winter energy saving tips you can keep your home more comfortable during winter, save money and help the environment too.

4 Benefits of Regular Duct Cleaning and Repair

The drive home from work: traffic congestion, hard on the lungs- all the smoke from semi trucks and other big vehicles. After a full day inside a cubicle, you may look at the city you live in and see nothing but air pollution. How do you survive breathing the fumes of what you and your fellow neighbors have created?

You can't wait to get inside under a cool air conditioner and breath in some clean air for a change. Maybe that is what you expect to happen. But if it is, sorry to deliver some bad news, you are not breathing in the clean air you think you are..

Are you aware that the Environmental Protection Agency estimates household air is up to 70 times more polluted than what you breath in everyday during your work commute?

70 TIMES!

Most of this indoor pollution exists because people fail to get their ducts and furnace cleaned as often as they should.The cost of ignoring basic maintenance on your HVAC system can produce  pollution worse than anything you will  encounter outside, and could lead to expensive air duct service - or more serious, duct replacement.

You can't afford to take air duct cleaning for granted any longer.  Here are 4 benefits of quality air duct cleaning and care:

1. Your health. Inside your current ductwork, there are actually all sorts of unwanted critters waiting for yourself to uncover. Harmful bacteria, fungus, mold and mildew spores, animal dander, as well as pollen, consistently collect to contaminate the quality of your own clean air. Through air-duct cleaning and heater cleaning, you can remove these factors before they take control of you by way of allergies, asthma, or or other illnesses.

2. Energy savings. The EPA estimates that it doesn't even take one-tenth of an inch of dust buildup on a heating coil to negatively affect your energy efficiency. 

3. Less work around the house.  By engaging in routine maintenance and air duct cleaning you can greatly reduce the time you spend on menial chores like dusting.

4. Longer life expectancy of your heating and air conditioning equipment. By regularly engaging in good quality air-duct cleaning, or hiring an HVAC specialist to ensure your ducts are getting the treatment they need for maximum overall performance, you help reduce the possibility of air duct repair or air duct replacement, that will certainly be awaiting you down the road otherwise. 

It is best to stay on top of the problem before it is too late. But if it is time for an air duct replacement, act quickly. The money you can quickly make up for in a more efficient energy system and future awareness that will prevent serious problems before they occur.

What Does a Heat Recovery Ventilator Do?

For those who have bought a house, are purchasing a house, or if you're renovating your home you may very well be familiar with the topic of a heat recovery ventilator or HRV. Brand new houses typically come with one, however older properties usually do not  have them unless the climate control system was modernized. Rather simply, an HRV works to preserve heat while eliminating stale indoor air.


Back before the ever increasing rise in energy costs began, heat retention would not have been needed in the same capacity as it is today. Now we've got air tight doors and windows, each crack is filled with caulk and our walls are insulated much better than at any time before. All this works fantastic to assist in decreasing our heating bills, but it can be a nightmare for indoor air air pollution. We may be comfortable, but our health can be at stake with allergens and micro organism increasing.

Although some steps could be taken such as electrostatic air filters, they decrease the amounts of airborne contaminants, but do absolutely nothing for the gases for example carbon monoxide or excess moisture. This is where a heat recovery ventilator  will come into play. The most effective approach to keep the indoor air pure is always to remove the polluted air and substitute it with new, dry air. This needs a system with two supporters, 1 to push bad air out and an additional to drag the nice air in. A heat recovery ventilator will do this and more. Not merely does the air get cycled through for cleanliness,  it also goes through a high temperature exchange core which heats the outdoor air before it circulates indoors. 

Up to 85% of the heat from the inside air can be moved to the air being brought in from the outside, which is much more cost effective than opening windows. Filters are used to capture dust, pollen along with other air substances from entering with the fresh air. An HRV can be very useful in the summer months as well but they are most helpful in the winter months.

Interested in learning more? Contact your local HVAC company. 

6 Ways to Reduce Your Winter Heating Bills

It has been another difficult year economically but now it's time to gear up for the holidays and plan for next year. We spend a lot to heat our home, now it's time to come up with a plan to reduce those heating bills. I know you don't like throwing your money away. A family spends approximately $2000 a year for winter heating, this amount can be even more if you do not take care of little things that can increase efficiency of your heating system.

Insulating

The first step you should take is making sure your home is properly insulated.  Proper insulation will keep your indoors warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There are various forms of insulation like spray foam, fiberglass, rigid foam and cellulose and many others. Once your home is properly insulated your winters will be more comfortable and you will be saving money on the cost on heating for those cold days.

Plugging Air Leaks

Whether your home is new or old, before winter hits you should check every window and door for air leaks. A leaky home will allow cool air to get inside and warm air to go outside and that will increase your heating bills. Your HVAC system will have to overwork to keep your home warm which will mean more fuel and maintenance expenses for you.

Here are a few tips to check and fix the air leaks in your home.

1) Check out the weather stripping around the windows and doors

2) If your insulation has leaks then use the insulation tape to seal them.

3) If there are rooms in your home that you do not use frequently, make sure to apply sheeting to the doors leading to them.

4) Install vent blocks in the rooms your don't use.

5) Seal all the cracks in the walls.

6) Try to prevent constant running in and out of the house (remember your parents constantly reminding you to stop running in and out of the house when you were a kid?). Everytime you open the door you are letting in cold air and letting out warm air. 

These are some simple tips that can greatly reduce winter heating costs. You should also call your HVAC company to come in and do a routine winter servicing of your heating system and make sure that there are no leaks in your duct work. Don't forget that lowering your thermostat by even 1 degree will save you money over the long term. 

How to Test Your Heating & AC Ducts for Leakages

Developing a home that's energy-efficient has numerous benefits. It'll lower your carbon footprint, therefore making your house more eco-friendly. It'll make your house more energy-efficient, therefore costing you less every single month in your energy bill. There are many areas within your home that you should pay attention to in order to find air leaks that wreak havoc on efficiency and your wallet. Certainly one of the individual areas is the air conditioning (heating, ventilating, and ac) unit's ductwork. Even when your house is new, but particularly if it's old, air leaks can exist through the system.

Checking and repairing any air conditioning leaks within the ductwork is crucial to keeping the system, as well as your home, efficient. A lot of the ductwork inside a house send either heated or cooled air in to the different spaces of the house. Usually, there's one large duct that functions as the return to the heating/cooling unit itself. Each one of these ductwork should be correctly sealed from air leaks to be able to function correctly and effectively. Many houses, however, frequently have significant problems like shredded insulation, damaged duct junctions, even holes chewed with the insulation and ductwork by rats and/or rodents.

Air conditioning ductwork are pressurized, so leaks which exist could be far worse and much more pricey than other air leaks around your home. The quantity of air that escapes via a leak inside a duct is magnified due to that pressurization.

Being able to access all your ductwork could possibly be the trickiest part, although fixing the leaks could be relatively easy. Leaks many times can be seen with just a flashlight. You may also make use of the "wet hands" technique - turn the air conditioning unit on therefore the ductwork become pressurized and ready: a wet hand may lead you directly to the leak. If you have trouble finding the leaks yourself then I suggest calling a qualified HVAC specialist to come out check the ducts for you. If you were able to find the leaks yourself then continue on with how to repair the leaks.

Hardware stores carry various kinds of sealing kits for ductwork. Prior to going towards the store, though, you will need to have the ability to tell the sales representative assisting you what material your ductwork are, and just how they're suspended to be able to find the appropriate repair package.

Duct tape can be used for  a lot of things, however this is somewhere the title states everything! Easily repair rips or tears in ductwork with duct tape. Take this into account when you use duct tape - it doesn't adhere well to dusty surfaces. When the surface where your leak is provides extensive dust (also it most likely will), then you've two options:

1. Clean off the dust (much more difficult than you think)

2. Wrap the duct tape around and round the section in which the leak is and just hide the dust - much simpler than the first option!

If while you are checking the ductwork you see the insulation appears thin, it is simple to add more to the surface of the existing insulation.

Caulk works effectively to seal the air leaks that are commonly found at the junctions between ducts and the registers where the air is pushed out into your home.

Heating Alternatives to Reduce Winter Heating Costs

With the winter season upon us, most people are researching ways to help lower their heating bills. There are many ways to do this, and they can be as simple as a few quick do-it-yourself home improvements or a call to your local HVAC company.

The three most effective and simple steps can be completed in as little as a few hours. 

1. Lower the temperature on your thermostat. 3 to 5 degrees may not feel like much but can make quite a difference in terms of saving money over a period of time, and if you start to get a little chilly add an extra layer of clothing before turning up the thermostat. 

2. Space heaters are fairly inexpensive and can be very energy efficient if you do some research. Heating the 1 or 2 rooms you use the most instead of your whole house can save money on heating bills, and is often recommended by government departments. 

3.  Winterizing your home by adding window seals where needed or using caulk to stop leaks is a simple and effective way to ensure your heating system is not working in vain. If you don't already have them you may want to consider  double-paned windows, although you may need to call a professional to have him install them for warranty purposes.

While the above tips will increase efficiency and lower bills, sometimes it is necessary to discuss some steps that include a larger investment. They are long- term solutions that  will pay off by lowering your heating bills. Here are four heating alternatives to look into.

Natural Gas Conversion: While a natural gas heating solution is a financial investment to install it does have other advantages, such as its ability to be used to run appliances, fuel a fireplace and heat water. However since natural gas is provided by local utility companies it may not be available in all areas so be sure to call your local supplier.

Ground (Geothermal) Heat Pump Systems: Geothermal Heat Pumps have become quite popular as an alternative way to heat residences and businesses alike. They work by relying on the relatively constant temperature of the earth 3-5 feet below the surface. While the upfront costs can be daunting, it is possible to recoup your investment in as little as five years, and to reduce your energy consumption by 44-72% according to the EPA.

Solar Heating Systems: Solar power is economical, renewable, and environmentally friendly, making it appealing to many consumers. While the initial costs can seem to be staggering the long term benefits are worth the work, as the Department of Energy estimates that a properly designed and installed solar system can provide 40-80% of a home's heating needs.

Wood or Pellet Burning Stoves: Wood burning stoves have become more efficient and operate much safer than they did five to ten years ago, and with the increase cost of gas and oil have also been able to provide an economical solution for many homeowners.  The Environmental Protection Agency states that they are one of the "cleanest-burning heating appliances available today" and exempts them from smoke-emission testing requirements.

Winterizing your House

 As the winter months approach, it truly is time to turn our consideration to what we are able to do to insure the safe operation of our heating appliances at the same time as look at different ways to assist conservation of power. Here are a handful of ideas which can insure a secure, warm and efficient winter season in your house.

1. Seal gaps and cracks around windows and doors with weather stripping and caulk. Even the tiniest of leaks can add as a great deal as much as 10% to your heating bill.

2. Cleaning your gutters is really a chore no one looks forward to, but an excessive buildup of leaves & other debris may cause water to seep back into your home, resulting in unwanted water damage. As the winter season approaches, it's a excellent time to inspect and clean your gutters to insure their optimum performance through the wet, cold winter months.

3. Have your furnace inspected by an HVAC  professional to insure it can function properly when required, and don't foget to replace the filter. A dirty filter will cut down on the overall effectiveness of your HVAC system.

4. Check your fireplace to insure it is going to operate safely and correctly - this might include things like contacting a chimney sweep if it has not been cleaned recently.

5. Be sure to test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your whole house. If you don't have detectors currently, it is highly recommended that you get them installed. Check the batteries with a battery tester  to ensure they have most of their life left and and replace them if they are not good.

6. Drain outdoor hoses, faucets and sprinkler systems to help reduce the risk of pipes bursting. For those who have unprotected pipes in your attic, it is a excellent time to wrap them to help prevent a rupture of these pipes.

7. Look into a programmable thermostat. Current models let you to set your heat to allow the house to become warm while awake in the daytime and allow for reduce temperatures when you are asleep or away from the house in the daytime.