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As utility costs continue to climb, homeowners look for simple ways to conserve energy. With a bit of time and effort, minor adjustments quickly add up to significant savings. It’s as easy as opening and closing your drapes. Keep draperies or shades open during winter days to allow the sun to heat your home but close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows. Close shades and curtains in summer to prevent overheating.

Ducts that move air to-and-from forced air furnaces, central A/C, and heat pumps can be energy-wasters. Sealing and insulating ducts can boost the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by up to twenty percent. Contaminants sometimes build up inside return ductwork. The average six-room residence collects forty pounds of dust each year.

No matter what type of heating and cooling system you have, properly maintained equipment operates more efficiently. Inspections and cleaning, when performed by trained professionals, improves performance, Indoor Air Quality and increases system longevity.

Clean or replace air filters as recommended once a month. Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators regularly. Make sure they are not blocked by drapes, furniture or carpeting.

With the installation of a programmable thermostat, you can conveniently adjust your home temperature for when you are typically away from home or asleep. By turning your thermostat back as little as seven to ten degrees Fahrenheit, eight hours a day, you’ll save as much as ten percent each year on heating and cooling.

When installing HVAC equipment, look for ENERGY STAR labeled models. The national minimum AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating for heating equipment is 78%, but ENERGY STAR labelled models are available with AFUE ratings of 90%. A 90% AFUE for a gas furnace means an output of 90 BTUs useful heat for 100 BTUs of Natural Gas input. For air conditioning, SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) represents the cooling output during an average cooling season divided by the total electric energy input. The acceptable minimum is 13 for central air.

The heating and cooling professionals from JED Heating & Cooling would be happy to discuss more ways to conserve energy around your home. Our certified technicians help you get the most out of your heating and cooling investment.