It’s easy to put off an air conditioner replacement because it’s an expensive undertaking and a fairly complicated process. But putting the replacement off too long will raise your electric bills and could leave you uncomfortable when the weather turns warm. Continue reading “Your Air Conditioner Replacement: Should You Really Put It off Any Longer?”
Tag: energy savings
Year-Round Energy-Saving Best Practices for Efficiency
If you’ve resolved to adopt some energy-saving best practices, it may help to think of saving energy like making choices on a grocery shopping trip. Continue reading “Year-Round Energy-Saving Best Practices for Efficiency”
Think a Programmable Thermostat Is Too Smart? Read On
When you leave your Long Island home for a day at work, do you need to heat it like you do when you’re home? Absolutely not, yet turning down the thermostat is just one more thing to remember on your way out the door. To make this job simpler, you can install a programmable thermostat to take care of this for you, so you can save money and energy while still coming back to a comfortable home. Continue reading “Think a Programmable Thermostat Is Too Smart? Read On”
Your Gas-Fired Furnace Might Be Ready for a Retrofit
Your old gas-fired furnace could be costing you a good deal of money because of its relative inefficiency compared to newer models. If you want to increase your energy efficiency and save some money, you have two options for that old furnace: Repair or replace it. Continue reading “Your Gas-Fired Furnace Might Be Ready for a Retrofit”
Take Advantage of Residential Energy Tax Credits for HVAC Purchases
There is good news for consumers who have been hesitant to upgrade their heating and cooling systems. The federal government has reinstated the 25C residential energy tax credits for taxpayers for qualifying equipment. Continue reading “Take Advantage of Residential Energy Tax Credits for HVAC Purchases”
Before Adding Home Insulation, Be Sure You Select the Right Type
Since keeping a home well-insulated is so important in terms of reducing energy bills and increasing comfort levels, there’s a wide variety of home insulation types that are available to homeowners. Different types of insulation will work best for different spaces, so it’s important to do some research and choose the right type for your situation. Continue reading “Before Adding Home Insulation, Be Sure You Select the Right Type”
How to Maximize Your Programmable Thermostat to Save Energy
As temperatures fluctuate between seasons, weeks and even days, having a programmable thermostat can help keep you and your family comfortable.
Installing a programmable thermostat also provides energy-saving benefits, resulting in lower monthly utility bills. Follow some simple guidelines to maximize your programmable thermostat and save energy.
- Keep your thermostat set at its energy-saving setting during long periods of time, such as during the day while family members are at work or school and overnight. To see the best results in savings, keep settings in place for 8 hours at a time when possible.
- If you need a boost in warm or cool air, temporarily override the set program temperature. That said, using this feature regularly can reduce your efficiency. Instead, alter your settings to a more comfortable programmed setting.
- When you’ll be away from home for days at a time, use the vacation setting so you aren’t heating or cooling an empty house. Maximize your savings by reducing the amount of conditioned air your HVAC system produces since your home will be empty.
- Set a program that works for your family. The 7-day models are ideal for families with a unique schedule each day of the week while 5+2-day models are great for families with a set Monday through Friday routine and a separate weekend schedule.
- To optimize performance, remember to change the batteries in your thermostat each year. Most systems will alert you if you need to change the batteries more often.
By following these tips and being thoughtful about your energy usage, you will notice the savings in your utility bills.
Thinking of installing a programmable thermostat in your home to optimize your energy usage? Contact the experts at T.F. O’Brien Cooling & Heating. We’ve served the Long Island area since 1934.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Home Insulation Upgrade: 3 Ways You’ll Benefit
As the temperature starts to drop, many Long Island homeowners take steps to make their homes winter-ready. In addition to fall furnace preventive maintenance, evaluating your home’s insulation should be a top priority before winter hits. Continue reading “Home Insulation Upgrade: 3 Ways You’ll Benefit”
A Buyer’s Guide To Energy-Efficient Furnaces
As another Long Island winter approaches, considering an upgrade to an energy-efficient furnace makes sense. New high-efficiency furnaces with Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings of at least 90 percent really shine in these cold winters. Continue reading “A Buyer’s Guide To Energy-Efficient Furnaces”
A Ceiling Fan Can Be Your Furnace’s Best Friend
When cooler weather arrives, homeowners need to be ready for it. Though many homeowners know the basic tips of sealing their windows and checking their home’s insulation to improve furnace and whole-house efficiency, there are other tricks to keeping your home comfortable and lowering energy costs. Did you know that by utilizing your ceiling fans in conjunction with your furnace, you can enjoy a cozier winter at a lower cost? Continue reading “A Ceiling Fan Can Be Your Furnace’s Best Friend”