earth day

Happy Earth Day! This year, why not do your part to protect the planet by looking for ways you can save energy in your HVAC system? Heating and cooling account for the single largest energy input in the average family’s home, so it’s the area in which cutting back can have the biggest impact. Check out these tips to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels:

Earth Day tips for your HVAC system:

  • Get that AC Tuned up: The summer heat is almost here, so it’s time to have your air conditioning unit serviced so you know that it’s working at peak efficiency and not wasting precious energy due to malfunction, obstruction or a dirty filter.
  • Moderate Your Climate Control: Speaking of air conditioning, try to raise the thermostat if you can. No one wants to sweat away the summer, but if you can live with an indoor temperature of 78 degrees or higher, you’ll save money on your bill and reduce your impact on climate change. You can also try to open windows or use a ceiling fan in place of AC.
  • Beef Up Your Insulation: There’s no point in heating or cooling your home if all that energy just escapes through the walls and the roof. If your home isn’t properly insulated, spray foam makes an inexpensive and easy way to provide an extra buffer between indoors and out to keep the treated air inside where it belongs.
  • Seal the Leaks: Along those same lines, if you have drafts or leaks in your home, you’re paying to heat and cool the great outdoors — which is a money-losing proposition, not to mention a dramatic waste of energy. Use caulk or weather stripping to seal any leaks.
  • Practice Passive Cooling: When the summer sun starts to heat up your home, you can reduce the load on your air conditioner with some strategic shading. Try closing the curtains over sunny windows during the day to reflect the heat away, then opening them at night so the cooler air can help draw down the temperature in your house.
  • Install a Smart Thermostat: If you don’t want to spend time worrying about adjusting the temperature, try a smart thermostat. These clever devices can save you hundreds of dollars per year by automatically identifying efficiencies in your heating and cooling habits.
  • Don’t Forget About the Furnace: Although winter is a distant memory in most parts of the country, spring is a good time to have your furnace serviced — or even to buy a new, energy efficient model if yours is on its last legs — so you know it will be ready to perform come next fall.

Solid Professional Advice

For more tips, have an HVAC professional come give your home an energy audit so you know exactly where you need to make changes in order to be the best possible steward to Mother Earth.

Call One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Midland Park for more energy-saving tips or to schedule your annual air conditioner maintenance.