Energy Saving Tips for Summer

After a fleeting spring, another energy-guzzling season is here: Summer, when air-conditioning costs threaten to break the bank. However, don't despair. There are many energy saving tips available for homes, and most of them are relatively simple to put into effect.Summer Energy Saving Tips

• Program for savings. There's no reason why your A/C has to be cooling your home at a comfortable temperature 24/7. If you don't already have one, install a programmable thermostat, then set it to higher temperatures (low to mid-80s) for times when you're at work or away from home. Program the temperature to return to a cool and comfortable level shortly before you expect to arrive home.

• Use ceiling fans. A ceiling fan can make the temperature in a room seem like it's several degrees lower than it actually is, as long as the fan is blowing air at people in the room. You can turn up the thermostat several degrees and save energy, while not sacrificing comfort. Just remember to turn off the fan when the room is empty. The fan's cooling effect is useless if nobody's around to feel it.

• Open the windows. When the outside air isn't too hot or moist, open windows and doors and let natural ventilation cool off your home. Open them at nighttime, then seal the house in the mid-morning before it gets hot. That cool morning air should allow you to delay turning on the A/C a few hours.

• Weatherize the house. Seal air leaks in the home's envelope, using weatherstripping, caulk or spray foam depending on the size and type of leak. Make sure the attic is well insulated to keep heated air from gravitating downward into your living spaces.

• Schedule preventive maintenance. Before summer really heats up, schedule an A/C maintenance visit. This will ensure that your cooling system is ready to perform efficiently and effectively all summer long. Perform air-filter maintenance yourself at least monthly during the summer.

For more energy saving tips for this summer, please contact us at Air Assurance, providing quality HVAC services in the Broken Arrow area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Ondrej Supitar/StockSnap”

Energy Saving Tips for Your Programmable Thermostat

If your home is outfitted with a programmable thermostat, you've already taken an important step toward saving energy and money. However, if you're not sure how to program or use this modern device, you're missing out on the potential benefits. These include both greater energy efficiency and enhanced convenience.

How Does a Programmable Thermostat Differ from a Standard Thermostat?

It's all about control. With an older, manual thermostat, you have to adjust temperature settings by hand. If you forget to adjust the thermostat for when you're not home or are sleeping, the temperature setting remains at whatever point you last set it. With a programmable thermostat, you can program temperature changes to match your daily and weekly schedules. Typically, people will lower (or raise, in the summer) the temperature while they're at work or school during the day, and then program the temperature to return to their comfort level shortly before they expect to arrive home.

Three Different Types of Programming Options:

• 7-day. This is the most versatile model, allowing a separate program to be set for each day of the week.

• 5-2-day. You'll be able to have one program for five days (usually the weekdays) and a separate program that applies to Saturday and Sunday.

• 5-1-1-day. Resembling the 5-2 model, it allows a separate schedule for one weekend day and another schedule for the other weekend day, with the other five days set to the same schedule.

Save Energy by Following these Guidelines:

• Try to schedule energy-saving setbacks for a minimum of eight hours for maximum savings. Frequently adjusting temperatures will handicap your efforts to save money.

• Avoid overriding temperature settings as seldom as possible. This just defeats the purpose of your programmable thermostat.

• Let the thermostat save energy and money while you're on vacation, by keeping the temperature eight to 15 degrees higher/lower than your comfort level. There's no reason to fully heat or cool a home when nobody's home for the week.

For more advice on optimum usage of your Broken Arrow home's programmable thermostat, please contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “marinini/Shutterstock”

Energy-Saving Tips for Your Tulsa Home This Spring

Now that spring weather is here, you have a golden opportunity to make some energy-wise changes before another hot summer arrives. The following home energy-saving tips can help you keep consumption and costs under control and boost your comfort too.

• Get your air conditioner tuned up. Scheduling A/C maintenance with your HVAC contractor before you start it up for the season guarantees it's ready and able to keep your home comfortable when the temperatures soar. To keep your cooling system operating at maximum efficiency, remember to check the air filter every month and change it as needed.

• Upgrade to a programmable thermostat. If you're still using a manual thermostat, talk to your HVAC pro about the benefits of switching to a programmable model. You'll learn that it's the most convenient way to schedule daily eight-hour, 10-to 15-degree temperature setbacks and save energy.

• Have your ducts sealed and insulated. A knowledgeable HVAC specialist will also advise that sealing your ducts can stop the loss of up to 30 percent of your A/C's cooling output. By having the seams and joints sealed with foil-backed tape, and wrapping the ducts with R-6 insulation, you'll see a drop in energy consumption and an increase in comfort.

• Increase your water heating efficiency. The sediment that builds up in your tank during the normal heating process can erode energy efficiency and even ruin the appliance. Having the tank flushed twice a year to get rid of the accumulation can keep it operating efficiently. While it's being serviced, have the water heater thermostat dialed to 120 degrees and add an insulated jacket if it's an older model.

• Check your attic insulation. Have a pro measure the insulation level on your attic floor and, if necessary, get extra installed to bring it up to the recommended minimum of R-49. If it hasn't been done already, make sure your access hatch is insulated on the attic side and properly sealed to stop conditioned air losses.

For more home energy-saving tips, contact Air Assurance. We've helped make life more comfortable for Broken Arrow area homeowners since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “patrimonio-designs-ltd/Shutterstock”

Landscape That Leads To Energy Savings: Why Strategically Placed Shade Makes Sense

Because cooling costs are high, homeowners are looking for solutions to lower their energy spending. It is true that there are a wide variety of energy-efficient air conditioners being manufactured today, however, there are other measures that you can take to help boost your system's efficiency and effectiveness even further. Though it may not have occurred to you previously, taking the time to strategically landscape around your home can go a long way in promoting energy savings.

Problem

As the sun beats down on your home, its heat can be radiated and absorbed through your home's windows and your roof, which increases the temperature inside your house. The warmer the air inside becomes, the higher of a demand will be placed on your air conditioner for cooling purposes. This will raise your utility bill while putting extra strain on your cooling equipment.

Solution

Utilizing your home's landscaping and shrubbery to your strategic advantage will increase your home comfort and improve your overall energy savings. You can handle this in a variety of ways including:

• Trees - The trees around your home can reduce surrounding air temperatures greatly. The shade and the ability of a tree to move and release water vapor can bring these temperatures down by as much as 9 degrees. Because cool air has a tendency to stay near to the ground, the temperature of the space located under a tree can be up to 25 degrees cooler! Planting the right kind of tree at a location where its shadow will prevent heat from radiating through large windows or your roof can greatly boost your energy savings.

• Shrubbery - Smaller plants and shrubbery can also help promote energy savings. When planted near your front or back patios, these plants can provide shading that will lower the temperatures of the asphalt or concrete surfaces around your home. The cooler temperatures surrounding your home will prevent excess heat from being absorbed inside.

For more expert advice on utilizing your landscaping to boost energy savings, contact the professionals at Air Assurance. We've been serving Broken Arrow since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Energy-Saving Tips That Help Keep Summer Bills Low

Summertime brings allergies, high temperatures, A/C running on full-blast and, unfortunately, higher energy bills. As you're trying to keep yourself cool, we don't want your summer energy bills burning a hole in your pocket. With a few simple energy-saving tips, you can keep your home cool while saving money.Here are a few inexpensive and easy solutions to stay cool this summer:

• Make sure your HVAC equipment and air filters are well-maintained. Replace or clean your air filters as needed. Don't forget to have your air conditioner unit serviced before the hot weather hits every year to make sure it runs more efficiently.

• Don't let cool air escape. If your A/C is running all day, but your home doesn't feel much cooler, there could be air leaks in your home. You should add weatherstripping to your doors and windows, and caulk any cracks in the walls to keep cool air from escaping.

• Properly insulate your attic. If your home has an attic, you should install modern insulation to help lower cooling costs in the summer. On warm days, temperatures in the attic can rise upwards of 140 degrees. Proper insulation and ventilation can help lower your attic temperatures.

• Unplug electronics and appliances when not in use. Something as simple as turning off your electronics when they're not in use can help lower your energy bills. Keep in mind that electronics such as computers also give off heat, so it's a double-whammy in the summer.

• Buy Energy Star products. From air conditioners to refrigerators, the federal Energy Star program ensures that products meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines that help protect the environment and save you money.

These energy-saving tips are just a start to help keep your home cool and your summer energy bills low. For more expert advice on energy-saving tips and other HVAC topics, contact Air Assurance Heating, Cooling & Air Quality today!  We proudly service residents of Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Innovative Tips That Make Home Comfort And Savings A Priority

Home comfort and energy savings should be a priority in every Tulsa area household. To help you get optimal performance from your cooling system this summer, we’ve compiled this list of innovative energy-saving tips.

• Raising temperature settings at the thermostat is a surefire way to reduce monthly cooling bills. To maximize savings without sacrificing home comfort, try keeping your thermostat at 78 degrees when you’re in the home and raising thermostat settings as high as 85 degrees while you’re away. But don't do this when it's over 95 degrees outside. That can actually cause energy bills to rise while the unit tries to catch up.

• One way to take advantage of higher temperature settings without sacrificing home comfort is to utilize household ceiling fans. While ceiling fans don’t actually cool your home, running them while you're in the room can create a wind chill effect that will help you remain comfortable, even when thermostat settings are increased by as little as four degrees. Just remember to turn ceiling fans off when you’re not in the room.

• Clogged air filters are notorious for restricting airflow and putting unnecessary strain on your air conditioner. Inspect filters monthly, cleaning and replacing as necessary.

• Another cost-effective means of improving household energy efficiency is to address air leaks using caulking, seal and weather stripping. Common leakage points include areas around doors and windows, and gaps around lights, wiring, ductwork and plumbing.

• Inadequate attic insulation can be a major drain on monthly energy costs. For an additional 10 percent savings, try boosting attic insulation to a minimum R-value of 30. If you can see your attic rafters, you are wasting lots of money on energy.

• It also pays to properly seal ductwork. If your ducts leak, you could be losing as much as 20 percent of the air you pay to condition. While accessible ductwork can be addressed using metal tape or duct mastic, a professional can ensure that your entire duct system is sealed properly.

• If your air conditioner is over ten years old, upgrading to a high-efficiency Energy Star-qualified model could save you as much as 10 percent.

• In fact, Energy Star-qualified products are an ideal means of long-term energy savings. Look for products ranging from water heaters to light bulbs.

For a more customized assessment of your household energy efficiency, consult our NATE-certified technicians. Contact Air Assurance today!Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here.Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

6 Energy Saving Tips That Will Help Lower Energy Costs

Today, everyone is looking for energy saving tips; the state of the economy has left many people without work and money is tight.  Part of your effort to save money should include making sure that your HVAC system is operating efficiently.If your system is in good working order, there are other steps you can take to make sure that your home is comfortable while still saving a bundle on monthly energy costs.No other system or appliance in your home consumes as much energy as your HVAC system.  At Air Assurance, we want to help homeowners in the Tulsa Metropolitan area put more money in their bank account and spend less on utility costs.  A good place to start is with these 6 energy saving tips:1.  Use your ceiling fans, or have some installed.  During warmer months the circulated air helps cool you; during the colder months, warm air is pushed down and circulated keeping you warmer.2.  Consider the windows.  In warmer months, close curtains or blinds to help block out the hot sun.  In winter months, open up the drapes on the south side of your home to warm the room.  Also, make sure areas around the windows are sealed or caulked to ensure cold/hot air remains outside, not inside.3.  Exhaust fans pull air out of your home.  Turn your exhaust fans off within a few minutes after cooking or showering.4.  Check the thermostat.  Lower it a degree or two in winter, raise it by the same amount in the summer.  Your energy bills will lower dramatically, and you will remain comfortable.5.  Check your air filters and replace on a consistent basis.  Dirty filters create air flow restrictions and make your unit work harder.  This can also make your system pull air from leaky ductwork which can allow cold/hot air into the home, as well as other unwanted pollutants.6.  Have an HVAC certified contractor check out your system on a regular basis. Just like an automobile, a finely tuned piece of machinery works better and more efficiently!Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about energy saving tips and other HVAC topics, click here. Air Assurance services the Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas.  To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.