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  5. Heating & Cooling

Heating & Cooling Tips

Keep your home comfortable year-round while remaining efficient with these easy tips.

  • Save up to 25% of cooling costs by using caulk and weather strips to seal openings from your home to the outside.
  • Schedule an annual inspection of your heating and cooling system. This can help identify hidden sources of energy loss like loose or broken ductwork which accounts for 15-35% of a home’s energy loss.
  • Replace furnace filters every month and vacuum or dust air registers regularly and make sure they’re not blocked by obstacles like furniture.
  • Add more insulation if the joists are showing in your attic.
  • Install a programmable thermostat and adjust your setpoints to a more efficient setting when no one is home and while you are sleeping.
  • Change the direction of your ceiling fan – it should rotate counterclockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter.
  • Adjust curtains to control heat from the sun. In cold months, open draperies, and shades on south-facing windows to allow more sunlight and heat during the day. Close draperies or shades at night to conserve heat. In warm months, close curtains on windows receiving direct sunlight.
  • Use bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans sparingly – they can quickly pull heated or cooled air from your home. Open bathroom doors after taking a shower to allow warm, moist air to circulate.
  • Clear your heat pump of all obstructions including snow, landscaping or fences.
  • Keep your home’s humidity between 35% to 40% humidity in the winter with a humidifier to help your home feel warmer at a lower temperature setting.
  • Use fireplaces sparingly – unless it is equipped specifically for home heating, warm air can escape your home through the chimney. Also close the fireplace damper when not in use.

Save Energy At Home With Heat Pumps

ENERGY STAR®-certified heat pumps are the most efficient heating and cooling systems available today. Heating and cooling your home account for more than 50 percent of the average bill. Heat pumps can cut your total energy cost by 30 percent or more.

Here’s How They Work:

Heat pumps keep air moving. Instead of generating heat, they transfer it from one place to another. Heat pumps use less electricity because transferring heat takes less energy than generating it.
And it’s not just the heat, it’s also the humidity. High-efficiency heat pumps dehumidify air better than air conditioners, for more cooling comfort in summer months.

Look for ENERGY STAR-certified heat pumps, which have higher ratings and also use about 5 percent less energy than conventional new models.

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