Save Money and Increase Energy Efficiency During Cooler Weather

In the Delaware and Maryland area, where low winter temperatures are common, finding ways to boost your heating system’s energy efficiency is just a matter of practicality. To stay comfortable more efficiently, follow a few basic guidelines.

Optimize Your System

Schedule a professional maintenance inspection for your heating system before the cold weather hits. During a routine inspection, a technician will find and correct any problems, improving your system’s energy efficiency, reliability, and safety. This includes cleaning the motor and combustion chamber, tightening electrical connections and testing the controls. Do your part to maintain your system by changing the air filter on schedule. Flat fiberglass filters should be changed monthly.

If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, now is a good time to install one. Lowering your thermostat temperature to a setting below 70 degrees for eight hours a day can cut as much as 5 percent off your heating bill. By using a programmable thermostat, you can ensure your furnace automatically runs at energy-saving temperatures.

Button Up Your Home

Leaks around your windows, doors, exhaust vents, penetrations for utility lines and other areas let warm air escape. Seal these leaks with caulk and weatherstripping as recommended. Loose and unsealed duct connections waste warm air from your furnace and cause moisture problems in unconditioned spaces, such as the attic. Seal these connections with mastic, then install duct wrap insulation to further improve your system’s energy efficiency.

Check the insulation level in your attic. If you have less than 16 inches of fiberglass insulation, consider installing more to achieve an R-49 to R-60 layer.

To pinpoint other areas of energy loss, schedule a professional home energy audit. During this inspection, your technician will use equipment such as an infrared camera to gather data about your home’s efficiency so you’ll know where to invest in improvements.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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