How To Save Money On Your Utility Bills

We get questions all the time from various people wanting to know how to save money on their utility bills. There are many ways and things homeowners or renters can do to lower their monthly utility bills. Listed below are just a few methods of doing this.

·       The simplest way to cut down on your air conditioning bills is to raise the setting on your thermostat.

·       If you are using ceiling fans or fans, raise your setting at least 2 degrees to off-set the cost of running the fans. Three or more degrees will start saving you money.

·       Replace all the bulbs you can with high efficiency LED or CFL light bulbs

·       Buy gaskets that go behind the outlet and switch plates and install them in all your outlet and wall switch plates. By doing so, you will help seal a lot of air leaks that come from your crawl spaces and attics.

·       Be sure your exterior doors have door sweeps and are weather striped. If you can see any daylight through you doors, they need more work.

·       Caulk around your windows and your sinks drain and water lines to help seal out any outside air from coming in and keeping the inside air in. Silicone caulking works best for this instead of expand-a-foam which is very messy.

·       Be sure to clean or replace your air conditioning return air filter each month. This is simple to do and has a big impact on your bills, comfort, and equipment life.

·       Have your heating and air conditioning system professionally tuned-up each year so it works at its peak efficiency level. Be sure they inspect your duct work for leaks as leaky ducts are major contributor to higher bills, less comfort, and sometimes excessive dust.

·       Be sure to turn off your TV’s, DVR boxes, DVD players, lights, and computers when not in use.

·       Close drapes or curtains on the sunny side/s of your house when they are in direct sunlight. This will help keep your home cooler. If you don’t, the radiant heat will warm up your house quickly and cost more to keep it cool.

·       Try to grill outdoors when it is hot to avoid using your stoves and ovens which contribute a lot to your heat load.

·       If you can do your laundry in the early morning or later at night it will help keep your house cooler because the dryer puts out a lot of heat into the room.

·       One last tip for this week, is to weather strip and insulate your attic access door or panel. A lot of energy is lost through these access doors and panels. You can use a thick foam board or faced backed insulation and glue it to the back of the door or panel. If you have pull-down stairs, build an insulated box over the top of them with a hinge.

If you use the tips listed above, you will save money on your utility bills and have more money at your discretion.  Hope you return next week to learn more.

Finding a Quality Heating and A/C Provider

Hello Everyone! I hope you had a fun and safe holiday. This week’s blog subject is about finding a quality heating and air condition provider and to answer why some folks think the prices for repairs and replacement equipment is too high.

Let’s start off with how to pick a quality contractor. 

Some key points to consider:

• Ask your friends and neighbors who they have used and what their experiences were with that company.
• If you are new to the area and haven’t met your neighbors, Google air conditioning providers in your zip code.
• When you have found a name of a contractor/provider; go online to the Better Business Bureau site and see if the company has any issues and how they were resolved and if they were resolved.
• Go online and check to see if they have a contractors’ license and a tradesman license. This site will also tell you if there have been any complaints filed against the company. http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/regulantlookup/
• Visit the company’s web site and see if it is a professional site that is useful to you. It should have testimonials, coupons, information, etc. If there is no web site, be very weary of the company as they may not have been in business very or long or have other issues.
• When you choose a company, be sure they are insured and have workman’s compensation insurance and business liability insurance. If they have it and all quality companies do; they can give you the insurance company name and policy number or show you a copy of the Certificate of Insurance.  This is the best proof, just be sure your check the date to make sure it is current.
• Be sure to ask if their technicians are N.A.T.E certified (North American Technical Excellence) or R.S.E.S certified (Refrigerant Service Engineer Society). Having certified technicians means the company cares enough to invest in their employees so they are a cut above other technicians.
• Be sure the company you choose performs background and drug testing of all their employees. This helps to ensure the people they send to your house are safe and don’t have prior criminal or sex offender records and are not on drugs.

By taking the steps listed above, you should be able to find a quality provider in your area that will stand behind their work.

The next question you may ask from time to time is, “Why are your prices so high?”Most people, unless they own a business or are aware of true business costs really don’t know what it take to operate a business.  It is very expensive to operate a quality business and these costs are part of the price you pay for excellent service and quality parts with guarantees.

A small sampling of the costs to run a business are:

• Business insurance
• Workman’s Compensation insurance
• Health, dental, vision insurance
• Office supplies
• Computers, software, and upkeep
• Furniture
• Mortgage/rent/utilities
• Vehicles (loans, upkeep and fuel cost)
• Inventory
• Uniforms
• Paid benefits for all employees
• Payroll and payroll taxes, etc.
• Continuous training and education

The point of this article is to point out that there are many more costs than just the part and labor, dispatch and testing fees to install it. If these costs are not paid; the company will not remain in business to serve anyone or honor their warranties and guarantees.

The next topic is, “Why does the new equipment cost so much; my old one was less than half that price?”The answer is the above costs increase (internal costs for the manufacturer, the distributor, and the dealer) and the cost to manufacturer to produce the new equipment has sky rocketed due to the rising commodity markets. The last six or seven years have had significant increases. The good side is that the air conditioning and heating equipment has become very energy efficient and continues to get more efficient. Our industry is changing rapidly with the focus on comfort and energy conservation. Hopefully, the markets and economy will level out and the prices will begin to as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, see you next week and if you have a particular topic or subject you would like answers to, please contact us (757) 421-9790 or by email allseasonshvac@cox.net.

Cooling Tips

During the summer months, the top questions most homeowners ask is how to save money while air conditioning their home to a nice cool temperature.  The summer months can raise everyone’s electric bill substantially.  All Seasons Heating and Cooling would like to share our top tips to staying cool and that help from paying out more money to the electric company than necessary.

1. Good HVAC Habits
First thing is to make sure you have a planned maintenance program for your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system so that it is running at its peak performance level.

If the coil on the outdoor unit is not cleaned at least annually, it becomes blocked with dirt and various fibrous materials - sometimes almost completely blocked. A rule of thumb is that the operating cost of the air conditioning is affected in direct proportion to the percentage of coil blockage. 10% blockage can cause approximately a 10% increase in operating cost. Heat damaged motors and other electrical parts also occur because of the inability of the condenser to reject the substantial heat from the compressor due to the blocked coils. This does cost you more money in the short and long run.

2.  Clean Filter
A dusty filter reduces air flow. Examine your air filters once a month and clean or replace filters when necessary. Keeping your filters clean can cut the energy used by 5 to 15%.  Your HVAC systems air filters should be changed not when they're dirty but on frequently planned intervals. Your home's air filters are like your cars oil filter. Only clean oil works effectively as a lubricant. If you wait to change your car's oil and filter when it’s dirty, the performance, fuel efficiency, and life of the engine decreases. This is the same for your home's HVAC system. 

Extra: If you are looking to replace your thermostat, you may want to choose one that offers a warning LED each month to remind you to change the filter.  Also, sign up for a monthly email reminder from All Seasons Heating and Cooling and we will send you a monthly reminder to change/examine your filters.

3. Use Fans
Fans can also help cool your home. No one is saying that a fan can replace your air conditioner, but a fan can give supplemental cooling. Substituting fans for air conditioners on milder days can save 60% or more in energy costs. Appropriately setting the fan on your air conditioner can help you save as well. Set the fan speed on “auto” to the fan works only when the air conditioner is running. When you set the fan to “on”, it will run all the time and you introduce more humidity into your house. This is not a good thing. If you use ceiling fans when your air condition system is on, you can raise your thermostat setting two degrees and save a few dollars to off-set the cost of running your ceiling fans while maintaining your comfort.

4.  Close the Blinds and/or Drapes
Natural light is great, but the sun's heat will increase the temperature in your home. Be sure blinds and drapes are closed on the east side in the morning and then the west side in the afternoon or in the rooms you have direct sunlight to help reduce the sun's thermal heat. If you are intent on letting the light in, think about installing a reflective film on the windows to block some of the heat. This also helps protect your furnishings from fading due to the UV rays.

5.  Reserve Heat Producing Tasks
You should also reserve heat and humidity producing tasks like cooking and doing the laundry to early morning or late evening.  A clothes dryer uses up a lot of energy and produces heat.  Try using a clothes line instead.  If you grill outside, you can keep your kitchen much cooler.

Keep heat-producing appliances, such as televisions or lamps, away from the thermostat. The heat they produce can fool your thermostat into continuing to cool.

6. Maintain the Ducts and Vents
If you are using a central air conditioning unit, make sure the air ducts are properly insulated, especially those that pass through the attic or any other unconditioned areas. You may want to have a specialist check for holes or leaks in the ducts. Duct tape can offer a temporary repair, but you will want to have any holes or leaks professionally sealed or repaired. The average duct system in a house leaks up to 20% or more. It should be 6% or less. Be sure furniture does not obstruct air conditioning air supply or return air vents. Closed or blocked vents will affect your comfort and the performance of your air condition and heating system.

7. Check for Household Leaks
Make sure air isn't escaping through unnecessary openings such as fireplace dampers, doors and windows. Take a good look at the seals around doors and windows to see if weather stripping or caulk needs to be applied.  We offer whole house testing that can help you determine where your air is escaping in your house.  (Click here for more information on whole house testing)

8. Set the Thermostat to the Best Temperature
Turning your thermostat to 78 degrees is the best setting for your air conditioner during warmer months. Reducing your temperature to 72 degrees will increase your cooling costs up to 12 to 47 percent. Also remember, setting it really low at first will not help your home cool faster. It will use more energy and if you forget to adjust it, you will be running far less efficiently than you think.

Also, have you considered a programmable thermostat?  Programmable thermostats can be set to adjust the temperature of your home according to your schedule. The temperature on programmable thermostats can be set to change based on whether or not the home is occupied or whether residents are asleep or awake. For example, in the morning before occupants wake up, the thermostat can be preset for a slightly warmer temperature.  The thermostat should be programmed for both heating and cooling seasons to save the most money. Today’s thermostats are easy to program and have large numbers that are easy to see.

9.  Invest in great landscaping.
If you want to reduce the amount of money that you spend on cooling your home then you can also use great landscaping to provide natural cooling properties for the home. Strategically placed shade trees are the top choice for affordably reinventing your landscape to allow you to turn off your homes cooling system.  If you can shade the outdoor unit of an air conditioning unit, it will be more efficient. Just be sure not to have shrubbery closer than 2-3 feet of the unit and never closer than 6 feet above it.

10.  Get out of the house.
The more time that you spend at home the more it is going to cost you when the electricity bills come. First, when you are home, you are cooling off the place and as you get adjusted to the temperature it may require more and more cool air to make you feel cool enough. Second, you are using the lights, computers and appliances when you are home which drives energy bills up more. Get out and get active. Spend time in the pool. Find ways to cool off away from home. Let someone else pay to keep you cool!

If being outdoors is not your thing; be sure to turn off lights, computers, TV’s etc. when you are not using them. Also replace your light bulbs with high efficiency ones, tighten up your house by weather stripping it and being sure you have enough insulation. If you need help, just give us a call (757) 421-9790 and we can get you the information you need.

Hello HVAC World

Have you ever had questions about your HVAC system but didn’t know where to find the answers?  We have launched our blog to help homeowner’s find the answers to the questions that they have about how to keep their homes comfortable and energy efficient all year round.  We will share helpful information about a variety of HVAC topics. Our goal is to help you find the answers you’re looking for right here. If we don’t cover a subject you are interested in; just contact us and we will include it.

Why is it important for homeowners to know that maintaining their heating and cooling equipment is important and what to look out for?  After all, isn’t that what your contractor is for?  Sure, you can leave it up to the professional– we have been taking care of our customers’ HVAC needs for over 21 years.  But, the truth is, (an aware versus an unaware) homeowner will recognize signs of trouble faster, and get help before a small problem turns into a major repair because you live there.  A well-maintained heating and cooling system lasts longer and performs more efficiently.  This can add up to significant energy savings and fewer breakdowns.

So, check in with us each week to learn more about your system, its maintenance and all of your equipment options.  With a little bit of help from our experts, you can stay comfortable, reduce repair bills and keep your energy costs under control.