While most of the United States is under a cool-wave, other locations around the globe are feeling the impact of high costs regarding utilities.
what I’m about to give you is from 33 years experience of HVAC (Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning) in the residential, commercial and Industrial construction trade.
Heating your home uses just as much energy as cooling, and drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Typically, 44% of your utility bill goes for heating. What’s more, heating systems in the United States together omit over half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, adding to global warming. They also generate about 24% of the nitrogen oxides, the chief ingredients in acid rain.
No matter what kind of heating system you have in your house, you can save money and increase comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment. But remember, an energy efficient furnace alone will not have as great an impact on your energy bills as using the whole-house approach. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, weatherization, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy bills and your pollution output in half.
AIR HANDLERS AND FURNACES
It might surprise you to know that buying a bigger heating unit won’t necessarily make you feel more comfortable during the cold winter months. In fact, an air handler or furnace that’s too big for the area it is supposed to heat will perform less efficiently and less effectively than a smaller, properly sized unit.
This is because normal size units work better if they run for relatively normal periods of time than if the unit continually switching off and on. Longer run times allow the unit to maintain a more constant room temperature in heating mode.
Sizing is equally important for central systems, which need to be sized by professionals. If you have a central air system in your home, set the fan to shut off at the same time as the electric heat strip or burners. In other words, don’t use the system’s central fan to provide circulation, but instead use circulating fans in individual rooms to distribute the heated air.
Air handlers with heat pumps only put out your body temperature (98.6 degrees), therefore, the discharge air temperature will feel cold. Oil or gas furnaces put out 135-150 degree heat which produces instant heat discharge. The difference between the two can determine the level of comfort you want, but will also become a burden on your home heating budget.
MAXIMIZE HEATING
Whole-house fans on low help heat your home or apartment by pulling the heated air through the house and keep the warm air in circulation. They are most effective when operating near a wood stove or possibly in the kitchen near the stove while cooking. The fan will lower the heat by a couple of degrees, however, circulating warm air throughout the house eliminates over usage of the main central system.
Set your thermostat as low as comfortably possible in the winter – especially during very cold days. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall bill will be.
Do not set your thermostat at a hotter setting than normal when you turn on your central heating system. It will not heat your home or apartment any faster and could result in excessive heating, and therefore, unnecessary expense.
Do not place lamps or TV sets near your heating thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the system to run shorter than necessary, or not at all.
Keep outside heat pumps clear of plants or trees. Do not block the air flow around the coils. A unit operating in the open uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating with plants or grass blocking the unit.
PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS
You can save as much as 10% a year on your home heating bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours. You can do this automatically without sacrificing comfort by installing an automatic setback or programmable thermostat.
Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the time you turn on the heating according to a pre-set schedule. As a result, you don’t operate the equipment as much when you’re asleep or when the house or part of the house is not occupied.
Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day) that you can manually override without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program.
WINDOWS
Windows can be one of your home’s most attractive features. They provide views, day lighting, ventilation, and solar heating in the winter. Unfortunately, they can also account for 10% to 25% of your utility bill. During the winter, sunny windows can make your heating system work two to three times less.
Install dark window shades, drapes, or blinds to attract heat from the glass window on the house or apartment. Open curtains on the sunny side facing windows. Do not apply sun control films on windows to reduce solar gain, rather, let in the solar heat during winter months.
MISCELLANEOUS
Clean or replace filters once a month or as needed. Seal and/or insulate all ductwork associated with the system. Insulate attics and crawl spaces. Place vapor barrier on ground floor with heavy duty 4MIL plastic. Block off all foundation air vents.
Open cook stove doors after preparing meals. Keep your fireplace (if any) damper closed. Caulk cracks around windows and doors. Install plastic cover on outside of windows. Use fluorescent lamps which are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last 6 to 10 times longer. Turn off lights and vents in any room you’re not using. Close window air conditioner dampers and block vents when possible. Keep furniture, curtains, and other material from blocking floor or ceiling registers.
These are fundamental and basic energy saving tips you can do to live in a heated comfortable environment while operating your central system. By working all these principles, and staying warm during the winter, you’ll be saving energy at the same time.
VN:F [1.8.5_1061]
Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
Continue reading...