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Summer Energy Saving Tips
You can reduce your Summer energy costs by making sure your air
conditioner is in good operating condition before hot weather arrives.
Have it professionally serviced every year.
If you're leaving your home for only a few hours, don't turn off
the air conditioner, but do turn the thermostat to a higher
temperature and close your shades to block solar heat. You'll keep
humidity levels low and save energy.
Use shades, drapes, blinds and other window treatments to stop the
sun's heat from entering your home.
Ceiling fans or portable oscillating fans create a wind-chill
effect. Use fans alone or with air conditioning
to help your home feel cooler.
When using your air conditioner, be sure the fan switch on your
thermostat is in the "on" position. This operates the blower in your
furnace continuously to keep the cool air from settling to the floor
while the warm air rises.
Winter Energy Saving Tips
Set your thermostat at a comfortable temperature. Each additional
degree adds about 5 percent to heating costs.
A programmable thermostat will allow you to set appropriate
temperatures for when you're home and when you're not.
Don't set your thermostat higher than the desired temperature. It
will not make your home warm up any faster.
Make sure your thermostat is on an inside wall away from windows
and doors where a cold draft could make your furnace run harder than
necessary.
Leave shades and draperies open on sunny days and allow the sun to
help heat your rooms.
Close the fireplace damper when the fireplace is not in use. Add
glass fireplace doors to reduce heat loss up the chimney, even when
the fireplace is in use.
Make sure registers for supply and return air are not blocked by
draperies or furniture.
Clean or replace furnace filters
often.
Points To Consider When Purchasing A Gas
Furnace
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Size: The size of a gas furnace
refers to its heating capacity, not its physical
dimensions. The capacity of a heating system is
measured in Btu's (British thermal units) per hour.
In general, a unit that's too small will lack the
ability to give you the comfort you want. A unit
that's too large will cost more to buy and operate.
A qualified heating contractor is the best person to
recommend the correct size for your new furnace.
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Venting: The heating contractor
can also tell you if any changes are needed in the
venting of the furnace. In most cases, the new
furnace is placed in the same location as the old
and uses the same venting system. However, many of
today's high efficiency gas furnaces can be vented
out a side wall in the same manner as gas clothes
dryers.
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Efficiency: The efficiency of a
gas furnace is indicated by its Annual Fuel
Utilization Efficiency or AFUE rating. The higher the AFUE, the more efficient the furnace. The more
efficient the furnace, the lower the heating bill.
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Cost: In general, higher
efficiency units will cost more than lower
efficiency units. However, over the life of the unit, a
high efficiency gas unit will help pay for itself
because of the annual savings in operating costs.
These savings could easily pay for the extra cost of
moving up in efficiency. Final cost can also be affected by a number of
installation factors such as the correction of
venting or ductwork problems, and the difficulty of
removing the old furnace or installing the new
furnace in the desired location.
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Contractor: Perhaps the most
important step in replacing or upgrading your home's
heating system is choosing the right contractor to
do the job. The reason: no matter how well-made a
furnace is, the reliability and energy
efficiency it provides is somewhat in the hands of the
contractor installing it. You can count on Williams
Refrigeration & Heating to do the job right.
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