Heating and air conditioning systems are a constant source of frustration in terms of expense. Utility costs continue to rise, and Chicago area residents are forever searching for the best ways to save money by conserving energy. A number of small adjustments to residential heating and cooling systems can assist in reducing energy consumption, which is good for the environment and even better for your pocketbook.

Adding More Air Returns

Lack of sufficient airflow can lead to heating and air conditioning inefficiency. Lack of return air is a very common problem, especially in systems that were originally designed as a heat-only application. Adding addition air returns to your system will allow for a greater supply of air into your home, resulting in better airflow and comfort for you and your family. Benefits also include quieter operation of your central heating and air conditioning system, fewer repairs and longer lifespan of your equipment, and greater comfort, all coupled with lower energy bills.

Attic Ventilation

In the summer, the heat can gather in attic space and cause your air conditioner to work overtime to maintain a cool, comfortable space. An attic ventilator will assist your air conditioner in cooling your home and lowering your utility bills. It exhausts the hot air from the enclosed attic space, which otherwise is sealed and works much like a sauna in retaining collected heat. It also brings in cooler air from outside, and the circulation greatly reduces the load heaped onto your air conditioning unit. With more efficient functionality and a more rapidly cooling home environment, your home will cost less to keep cool, and your environment will be more comfortable.

Digital Setback Thermostat

Most Chicago area residents have a fixed daily schedule that takes them in and out of the home at specific times of day. Whether in summer or winter, a digital setback thermostat can be programmed to set back the temperature when the house is unoccupied, allowing you to save energy and money on the heating and cooling of your Chicago home. It helps to automatically keep you comfortable when you are home while setting a higher temperature in the summer and cooler one in the winter while you are away, therefore consuming less energy. Most digital setback thermostats either offer a 7-day configuration or a 5+2-day configuration that allows you to set it differently over the weekend, when you are most likely to be home.

Contact a local Chicago heating and air conditioning specialist with questions about making these small but important changes to your home heating and cooling system to help save more energy and run your units more efficiently. You’ll notice a difference in your monthly utility expenditures instantly.

One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Elk Grove provides air conditioning services for the cities of Elk Grove Village, Roselle, Park Ridge, Schaumburg, Chicago, and the surrounding cities in Illinois.