According to the US Department of Energy, as much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills — and your comfort.

Change your air filter regularly.
Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool — wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system — leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.

Tune up your HVAC equipment yearly.
Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort.

Spring/Summer

Have your Air Conditioning system tuned-up for the season, so that you are running at peak efficiency.
Operating at peak efficiency will save money because the system doesn't have to work as hard to do its job.

Replace your furnace or air handler filters on a regular basis.
Lack of regular filter changes and maintenance is the number 1 cause of system breakdowns and costly repair bills.

Use programmable thermostats.
Programmable thermostats can save you energy and money while you’re asleep or away, without sacrificing comfort while you’re home. Raising the thermostat 2-3 degrees during the day while you’re away can save you money. For every degree you raise the setting, you can expect to cut energy consumption by up to 3-5%.

Keep the shades and curtains drawn to reduce the radiant heat of the sun.
Keep the shades and curtains drawn to reduce the radiant heat of the sun. This will minimize the heat being built up in your home and reduce the need for air conditioning.

Install an attic fan to help ventilate some of the hot air out of the attic.
Attics can reach temperatures of 140 - 150 degrees and this build-up of warm air can make the upstairs of a home warmer than it needs to be. This makes the air conditioner work harder to do its job. It costs you more to cool your home and the life of the system can be decreased.

Install a more energy efficient air conditioning system.
If your air conditioning system is more than 10 years old, you could use up to 20% less energy by installing a more efficient new model.

Make a smart purchase.
When buying a new air conditioner, make sure that it is properly sized and installed – bigger is not always better. Units with too large a capacity will cost you more and may decrease your home’s comfort. Hire a qualified, licensed contractor to accurately size your equipment to your home’s needs.

Find and seal air leaks.
Hidden gaps and cracks in the home can add up to as much airflow as an open window and can cause your cooling system to work harder. By sealing your outer walls, ceiling, windows and floors, you could potentially save up to 10% in energy costs.

Tighten your ducts.
It is common to find gaps between duct joints in a home, whether new or old. Have your ducts inspected, sealed and insulated to increase indoor air quality, maximize the movement of cooled air to all rooms of the home, and prevent loss of cooled air to areas between wall, ceilings and floors. Poorly performing ducts can reduce your system’s efficiency by as much as 20% by causing your system to work harder to maintain your home’s temperature setting.

Fall/Winter

Have your heating system tuned-up for the season, so that you are running at peak efficiency.
Operating at peak efficiency will save money because the system doesn't have to work as hard to do its job.

Replace your furnace or air handler filters on a regular basis.
Lack of regular filter changes and maintenance is the number 1 cause of system breakdowns and costly repair bills.

Use programmable thermostats.
Programmable thermostats can save you energy and money while you’re asleep or away, without sacrificing comfort while you’re home. Turn the temperature setting down 2-3 degrees while you are sleeping or away from your home. For every degree you lower the setting, you can expect to cut energy consumption by up to 3-5%.

Keep the shades and curtains open during the cold months to get the radiant heat from the sun.
By keeping the shades and curtains open, the radiant heat from the sun will reduce the heating load on your system.

Find and seal air leaks.
Hidden gaps and cracks in the home can add up to as much airflow as an open window and can cause your heating system to work harder. By sealing your outer walls, ceiling, windows and floors, you could potentially save up to 10% in energy costs.

Tighten your ducts.
It is common to find gaps between duct joints in a home, whether new or old. Have your ducts inspected, sealed and insulated to increase indoor air quality, maximize the movement of conditioned air to all rooms of the home, and prevent loss of warmed air to areas between wall, ceilings and floors. Poorly performing ducts can reduce your system’s efficiency by as much as 20% by causing your system to work harder to maintain your home’s temperature setting.

[ back to top ]