Before you know it winter will be upon Northern Arizona; you’ll be shoveling snow, the kids will be sledding and hopefully you’ll all be able to enjoy the winter wonderland inside your warm and toasty home. Energy Savings Heating and Cooling has compiled a list of the best ways to save energy during the winter months in the Northern Arizona area.Replace your filters. A clogged filter reduces airflow which reduces the output of heated air and puts an undue strain on your heating system. A standard filter should be replaced every 30 days.
Use the sun to heat up your living space. During the day open curtains and blinds that face the south.
Seal the fireplace when not in use. Be sure the damper is in good working condition and is able to seal tightly to keep the heat in your home.
Make sure your duct system is tightly sealed. If heated air is escaping into your attic or crawl space, it’s not making it into your
home.
Only use exhaust fans when needed. Exhaust fans pull heated air out of the house at a rapid rate, requiring your heating system to work harder to make up the air. Exhaust fans also cause negative pressure which can pull in uncomfortable drafts around windows, electrical outlets, and can lights.
Install a programmable thermostat. This will allow you to lower the temperature set point while you’re out of the house. Keep the temp within five degrees of your normal setting; any more may be counterproductive requiring additional energy to be used to stabilize the temp back to your original temperature.
If you have more than one floor consider installing a zone system so each floor is controlled independently for higher efficiency and consistent comfort. Also, you can partially close the vents on the higher floors, this forces more heat downstairs.
Let your ceiling fans do the work. Because hot air rises you can set your fans in the reverse position on low which will help push warm air downward.
Maintain your heating system. Contact the professionals at Energy Savings Heating and Cooling for your regular service needs to keep your heating system running at its fullest capacity.
More Information:
Duct Cleaning
Duct Sealing
HVAC Repair
