How To Save On Your Heating and Cooling

Saving energy around the home can be as easy - and inexpensive - as closing drapes or cooking with your microwave. Here are some great ways to stay cool this spring and summer, while keeping your wallet full.

Cooling Your Home

Plant shade trees to shade your house from the sun during the summer - it could save up to 8% on cooling costs. Change or clean your air conditioning filter monthly during cooling season to improve efficiency and the life of your air conditioner. Consider buying a whole house or attic fan. It draws in cool nighttime air through your open windows and forces out hot air that builds up during the day. Use ceiling fans to cool your home - they're much cheaper to operate than air conditioners, and moving air feels cooler, so you can keep your thermostat setting higher. By raising your thermostat setting from 72 to 78 degrees, you can save approximately $100 during the summer. Open windows on cool summer days and nights. A good rule of thumb is not to open windows when the outside temperature is warmer than the inside of your house. Keep the coils of your central or window air conditioner free of dust and dirt. Make sure the output of your air conditioner is right for the size of your room or house to ensure optimum efficiency and comfort. Use a programmable thermostat. This device can save as much as 12% on cooling costs by automatically turning your cooling system up or down to coincide with your daily routine. Keep your central air conditioner condenser in the shade and reduce your cooling costs by nearly 3%. Open the doors inside your home open to improve air circulation and the efficiency of your cooling system.

Kitchen Appliances

Use heat-producing appliances during the cooler hours of the day. Consider using your microwave or outdoor grill instead of your range for cooking.

Weatherizing

Install reflective window coatings to reflect sun away from your home. Close curtains, blinds and shades to retain cool air.

Conservation Tips You Can Use All Year Long

Plumbing & Water Heating

Repair leaky faucets. One drop per second from a leaky faucet wastes up to 400 gallons of water a year. Not only is water wasted, but so is the energy to heat the water. Choose low-flow showerheads and faucets - they can reduce your water consumption by as much as 10% and save on energy to heat the water. A family of four can save as much as 15,000 gallons a water a year when installing these fixtures. Insulate your water heater and hot water pipes to reduce heat loss and water heating costs. Set your water heater at 120 degrees or less, you can save up to $25 a year (if you use an electric water heater). Drain sediment from your water heater tank every six months to improve water heater efficiency and save energy. Take a short shower instead of a bath. Every minute you cut from shower time saves three gallons of water and the energy used to heat that water. Turn your water heater down to the lowest setting while on vacation. Choose a high-efficiency water heater. An indirect oil-fired water heater produces an almost endless supply of hot water with a very fast recovery time.

Kitchen Appliances Refrigerator / Freezer

Clean refrigerator coils once a year to extend the life of your fridge and reduce energy waste. Cover refrigerated foods. When less moisture evaporates into the air, less energy is used to cool the food, since moist air takes more energy to cool than dry air. Set your refrigerator between 34 and 37 degrees; set your freezer to 5 degrees. Not only are these temperatures safest for food storage, but most refrigerators are manufactured to operate most efficiently at these settings. Buy the smallest freezer you'll need. A freezer operates most efficiently when full. Consider a high-efficiency refrigerator. Top-freezer models use 7% to 13% less energy and are usually less expensive than side-by-side models.

Oven / Range / Microwave

Choose a gas range with a pilotless ignition. This eliminates the need for a continuously burning pilot light, which reduces your natural gas usage. Keep your oven door closed! Every time you open the oven door, the oven temperature can drop 25 degrees. Use the oven light or a timer to avoid wasting energy. Defrost food before cooking - you could save 30% to 50% on cooking costs. Pre-heat your oven only for baking. Use lids and turn off electric burners early. Lids trap steam and help food to cook faster. Electric burners retain heat even after you turn them off. Retain oven heat with a good door seal. Use small appliances, such as your electric skillet, toaster oven or indoor grill instead of your oven for baking and cooking small quantities.

Dishwasher

Run your dishwasher only when it's full. Scrape, don't rinse your dishes. You'll save water and the energy to heat the water. Air-dry dishes. Also, avoid using the heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features. Choose a high-efficiency dishwasher - they use 25% less energy than conventional models.

Clothes Washer & Dryer

Run full loads of laundry and shorten wash cycles. Wash clothes in the coolest water possible - 80% of the cost to run your washer is used for heating the water. Since your dryer retains heat, dry loads back-to-back. Clean your dryer filter and exhaust vent - when they're clogged with lint your dryer works harder and uses more energy. Use the auto-dry feature. Choose a high-efficiency clothes washer and dryer. High-efficiency washers use half the water of standard models. High-efficiency dryers can save up to 30% in energy over standard models.

Lighting

Turn off lights when you leave a room. Install dimmers and motion sensors wherever possible. Use three-way bulbs to increase light and reduce energy. Install motion detector lights for outdoor lighting. Install compact fluorescent bulbs where you can. Over the life of one CFL bulb you will save approximately $25.

What can a new heating system offer you?

Better fuel efficiency: In fact, the peak performance of an upgraded system can save you up to 30% in heating and hot water costs, according to the National Oilheat Research Alliance. Improved comfort: Your home is heated faster and more evenly. More hot water: An indirect oil-fired water heater can give you virtually unlimited hot water on demand. A more compact design: Today's units are often one-third the size of their older counterparts and are built to fit inside those nooks and crannies in your basement. Fewer service calls: New equipment means no more middle-of-the-night "no heat" emergencies. Better for the environment: New units are cleaner burning. Quiet operation: You have to listen hard to hear some of the new furnaces and boilers. A great investment: An upgraded heating system can easily pay for itself in as little as three years, after which your annual savings are a cash bonus you'll earn year after year for many years to come. Plus, it's a better investment in your home than a new deck or landscaping.

For more about the value of upgrading contact ABLE at 883-7558