This summer is shaping up to be a brutal one on Long Island. Having an air conditioner that can go the distance is important. With rising fuel prices, it’s also important to save as much energy as possible. Continue Reading…
Air-Handler Options To Increase Efficiency And Comfort For Long Island Homeowners
Whole-House Energy Savings Tips For Long Island Homeowners
It’s expensive to own a home on Long Island. But even if you can’t do anything about your property taxes. there are steps you can take to increase your energy savings and reduce your utility bills. Continue Reading…
New Home Energy Yardstick Can Target Energy Savings
Are you doing all you can to keep your home comfort energy costs low? It seems to be a never-ending quest to keep fuel and electricity costs at a manageable level. Prices go up and winters seem more severe; summer heat seems more oppressive. Have you ever wondered how your efforts to see more energy savings are paying off? Continue Reading…
You Protect Your Computer With a Surge Suppressor, Why Not Your HVAC System?
All electronics need protection from power surges. Your heating and cooling system is no different.
When lightning strikes nearby or a storm knocks down a power line, it’s possible to send a surge of energy through the power grid, damaging sensitive electronics. Anything with a microprocessor is at risk, including your heating and cooling system. Continue Reading…
Tagged energy consumption
Faced with “Repair or Replace” Decision? Some Tips…
Homeowners often face the decision of whether to repair or replace their furnace. Before making this important decision, answer the following questions:
- Is your system in overall good condition? If so, it might be more cost- effective to repair it.
- How long are you planning to live in your home? If you are moving within a couple of years, evaluate whether a new system will increase the value of your home. If the cost outweighs the investment value, consider repair. If you are planning on living in your home for many more years, consider the benefits of a more energy efficient system.
- Have you addressed insulation and duct work? Proper insulation and seals can save up to 20 percent on your energy costs.
- Are you using a programmable thermostat? A programmable thermostat can save up to 30 percent in energy costs.
- Have you performed the Home Energy Yardstick? Use this tool to score your home’s energy efficiency.
Consider repairing if:
- Your system is less than 15 years old.
- The repair is under $500.
- The overall condition of your system is good.
- Your energy bills are reasonable and not concerning.
- Your Home Energy Yardstick score is 5 or above.
Consider replacing if:
- Your system is over 15 years old.
- Your system needs frequent repairs.
- Your Home Energy Yardstick score is less than 5. If the energy savings of a more efficient unit will cover all or part of your investment, consider replacing it.
- Your utilities costs are constantly rising.
- You are concerned about air quality. Consider replacement with an energy-efficient system that can reduce the potential for air contaminants like mold, bacteria, and dust.
A general rule of thumb that can be helpful in deciding whether to repair or replace your furnace is to add up your energy costs for the past winter and multiply by 20 percent. Divide that number into the cost of buying and installing. This is an estimate of how many years it will take to recoup your investment.
Of course, you can also count on T.F. O’Brien for expert advice on repairing vs. replacing your furnace. We can walk you through the options and help you make an educated decision. Call us if we can help.
EnergyGuide Labels
The U.S. government established a mandatory compliance program in the 1970s requiring that certain types of new appliances bear a label to help consumers compare the energy efficiency among similar products. In 1980, the Federal Trade Commission’s Appliance Labeling Rule became effective, and requires that EnergyGuide labels be placed on all new refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, dishwashers, clothes washers, room air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, and boilers. These labels are bright yellow with black lettering identifying energy consumption characteristics of household appliances. Although these labels will not tell you which appliance is the most efficient, they will tell you the annual energy consumption and operating cost for each appliance so you can compare them yourself.
EnergyGuide labels show the estimated yearly electricity consumption to operate the product along with a scale for comparison among similar products. The comparison scale shows the least and most energy used by comparable models. The labeled model is represented by an arrow pointing to its relative position on that scale. This allows consumers to compare the labeled model with other similar models. The consumption figure printed on EnergyGuide labels, in kilowatt-hours (kWh), is based on average usage assumptions and your actual energy consumption may vary depending on the appliance usage.
EnergyGuide labels are not required on kitchen ranges, microwave ovens, clothes dryers, on-demand water heaters, portable space heaters, and lights.
Furnace and Boiler Energy Saving Tips to Avoid Late Winter Surprises
This has been a brutal winter already on Long Island, but we have some simple tips to maximize your energy savings and skip that nasty surprise when you open your LIPA bill.
Ideas to keep hot air in and cold air out are often common sense and simple, but easily overlooked. Dedicate just a little bit of time and you’ll be surprised just how much energy savings result. And it doesn’t matter whether you have a furnace, which heats air to heat your home, or a boiler, which heats water and distributes it throughout your house to get the temperature up when the thermometer drops.
First off, many houses in Nassau County are now aging, so it’s important to check your house for air leaks, and seal them. Check around doors and windows for that telltale breeze, and break out the caulking gun. And don’t forget there may be hidden holes in your attic and your basement. For a comprehensive survey of where those hidden leaks might be, give us a call.
Next on the list of energy savings tips is keeping an eye on your home’s ductwork. Leaky or dirty ducts and poor connections will keep your furnace working overtime to try to heat your home. And leaky pipes in a boiler system can end up costing you thousands in repairs due to water damage!
So you’ve patched the leaks, and your ducts are clean? An older system may be burning excess energy due to outdated technology, or simply because it’s starting to get worn out. It may be time to upgrade to a new system.
But, finally, the simplest remedy is often the best one. Save money and energy by turning your thermostat down.
T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about preventive maintenance and other HVAC topics, please download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Energy Savings Calculator: Making Every Dollar Count
Energy savings calculators are questionnaires that gather information on energy usage and process that information to identify changes that will decrease energy usage and provide energy cost savings. Using an energy savings calculator can help you focus on the parts of your home energy system that need attention. The Home Energy Saver website is a good example of an energy savings calculator.
After you input your household data, then the calculator provides recommendations on potential energy cost savings in the following areas:
- Heating
- Cooling
- Hot Water
- Large Appliances
- Small Appliances
- Lighting
The savings in energy costs are based on reduced energy usage after upgrading your current home energy system. Think of your home energy system as being enclosed in your house structure, or envelope. Making small but important changes in the envelope to seal leaks and add insulation are important first steps to reducing energy usage and costs.
Here in the New York and Long Island areas, heating and cooling are critical to your household. These systems should operate efficiently and provide the best performance for the least cost. One way to improve heating and cooling efficiency is through using a programmable thermostat. To improve the basic performance of your heating and cooling, consider replacing your heating or air conditioning equipment.
Hot water, appliances, and lighting are also areas where you can use the energy savings calculator to help decide on the best equipment upgrade plans for energy cost reduction. You can also take advantage of newer and more energy-efficient technology like solar and tankless water heaters, energy star appliances, and CFL lighting options.
T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about preventive maintenance and other HVAC topics, please download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
A Professional Evaluation Can Be Your First Step to Energy Savings
We all want to save money on our utility bills. It can be a shock to see the total on your bill in the sweltering summer season or the freezing winter. For New Yorkers, temperature extremes are a fact of life – but high energy bills do not have to be.
In order to keep more of your hard-earned money, you need to make sure your home is energy efficient. It can be very complicated to locate all the areas of your home that need an energy tune-up, then decide the best way to fix them. The good news is that you don’t have to take care of this on your own. Just call your local home energy expert for an energy savings consultation and home evaluation.
Your Home Energy Audit
Using specialized equipment, a certified professional will walk through your home and also inspect the inner workings of your heating, cooling and ventilation systems. HVAC inspectors are trained to spot areas in your home that are not properly insulated and locate any wasteful or potentially dangerous leaks in your system. They can also alert you to small problems before they turn into big repair bills.
In just a few minutes, you will have the results of your energy audit – a concise list of issues that are standing between you and big energy savings. After assessing your home’s energy needs, the inspector will recommend simple, straightforward solutions to improve your home’s energy efficiency. At this point, you will have an estimate of the amount you could save on your monthly bills.
T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about preventive maintenance and other HVAC topics, please download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
