Controlling Your Energy Costs Is As Easy As 1, 2, 3

A large portion of the average household operating budget is spent on energy. When you get proactive about reducing waste, controlling your energy costs is easier. You can start with the follow three simple steps:

#1. Take charge of your heating and cooling costs.

• Clean your air filter monthly to maintain your HVAC system’s energy efficiency.

• Install a programmable thermostat. By using it to raise or lower the temperature during set periods, you’ll save up to three percent of your heating and cooling costs for every one degree adjustment.

• Invest in an attic ventilation fan to remove the excess heat that transfers down into your home and adds to your summer cooling load.

• Keep your HVAC equipment at maximum efficiency with twice-yearly professional tuneups.

• Use ceiling fans to circulate cooled air in the summer and reverse them in the winter to push heated air down as it rises.

• When replacing older HVAC equipment, select correctly sized units with the highest efficiency ratings within your budget.

#2. Use your appliances wisely.

• Ignore the hot and warm water options on your clothes washer.

• Avoid hitting the “heated dry” button on your dishwasher.

• Keep your clothes dryer’s lint trap clean.

• Lower your water heater thermostat setting to 120 degrees.

• When they’re not in use, unplug small appliances and any other devices with a “standby” mode to reduce your phantom load.

#3. Seal and insulate all around your home.

• Caulk and weatherstrip around exterior doors and windows to stop air leaks.

• Use expandable foam to seal around vents, wiring and pipes that penetrate your home’s shell.

• Seal leaks in your HVAC ductwork with metal-backed tape, and then wrap the ducting in insulation.

• Add an insulated jacket to your older tank-style water heater, and wrap your hot water piping in foam insulation.

• Step up the insulation on your attic floor to a total of R-49 to create an effective heat barrier.

• Install insulating gaskets behind electrical outlets and switches on your exterior walls.

To learn more about controlling your energy costs, contact us at CR Wolfe Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve proudly served the Middletown area since 1945.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about energy costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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