Best Practices for Thermostat: Vacation Mode
There are many reasons why programmable thermostats are a good idea. For example, they can save you almost $200 a year in energy costs when used properly. But in addition to energy savings, they can be helpful for scheduling the temperatures you want to maintain at home when you’re away on vacation.
How to Save Energy When Using Your Air Conditioner
Saving energy means saving money -- and during the hottest months of the year when air conditioning use goes into overdrive, knowing a few ways to conserve energy can help make a big difference when it comes time to pay your cooling bills.
How Hail Can Damage Your Air Conditioner
Hail is a marvel of nature – hail can range in size from a pea to a baseball (or larger) and, being made of ice, it can leave a mark. The National Weather Service reports that hail causes $1 billion in damage to property and crops each year. Anything caught outside in a hail storm is vulnerable to the smashing and flattening caused by hail – and that includes your air conditioning unit.
Keep Your Outdoor Air Conditioner Free From Debris
We’ve all seen those air conditioning units cleverly surrounded by concealing hedges, while it may look nice, it may be putting an unnecessary burden on the equipment’s performance. Keeping your outside cooling unit free from dirt and debris is crucial for maintaining free air flow. This not only allows the equipment to work more efficiently, but also helps it last longer.
The Best Place to Install Your Air Conditioner
Air conditioning technology is continually pushing for improvements that reduce the environmental footprint and make cooling systems more energy efficient. The environment and your wallet benefit from high-efficiency equipment – but you won’t see these benefits if your air conditioner is improperly installed.
History of Air Conditioning
We take air conditioning for granted, expecting the stores we shop in, the places we work, and the homes we live in to bring relief in the form of cool, comfortable air when temperatures outside are high. However, not that long-ago air conditioning was a luxury – and not long before that it didn’t really exist at all, with only a few notable exceptions.
Should You Repair or Replace Your Heating and Cooling System?
You may have noticed your heating or cooling system is not performing up to par. Or it’s always running. Or perhaps you’ve noticed a steady rise in your energy bills. There may be something wrong with your HVAC equipment, meaning you’ll be faced with a decision: do you repair or replace your home’s heating and cooling system?
How to Choose an Air Filter
Air filters are silent sufferers - no one thinks about them because they usually don’t break or make noise. Yet, they’re an important part of your HVAC system - not only helping keep your equipment clean and free of debris, but also helping to keep indoor air clean by capturing particles like dust, pollen, mold spores and animal dander.
Vacation Tips for Your Home
There’s a lot to plan when you go on vacation. If you have time, it’s helpful to make a comprehensive ‘to-do’ list that includes general household tasks to keep your energy costs down while you’re gone.
Heating and Cooling Tips for New Homeowners
A new home is an exciting and complex undertaking. There are a lot of components to understand and care for -- and perhaps one of the most important is your HVAC system. Even knowing a little can save you a lot on your energy bills over time.
