With 2015 comes another year where energy costs increase, despite the fact that your energy needs remain the same. Throughout Chesapeake, VA, Sanford, NC and Fayetteville, NC, two things are certain:

Summers get hot, and winters get cold.

In an effort to maintain your comfort 365 days a week, you need to operate your heating and cooling systems, despite knowing that each time that system runs, you’re losing money.

How, then, can you save money on your heating and cooling bills? Here are a few tips to help you along the way.

Brr … It’s Cold! What Else Can I Do To Get Warmed Up In Virginia And North Carolina?

• Make sure your heating system is tuned and inspected by a heating specialist before each and every heating season. Heat losses from poorly maintained systems can add up to a rate of 2 percent a year!
• Don’t neglect your furnace filters! Clean or replace them often during the heating season.
• Here’s a simple tip that could help: make sure furniture, carpeting and curtains aren’t blocking the heat registers and return ducts.
• Do you have radiators located near cold, outside walls? If so, place a sheet of aluminum foil between the radiator and the wall. This will reflect heat back into the room.
• Add blankets to your bed when you go to sleep.
• Make sure that your attic, basement, garage and exterior doors are closed.
• Use your fan! Yup, use your fan. Ceiling fans set at a slow speed can push warm air away from the ceiling and toward the living area, while spreading the heat around the room.

Boy It’s Like An Oven In Here! What Can I Do To Get Some Cool Relief!?

• Make sure you have an AC with a high energy efficiency rating (EER). Think of it this way: A unit with an EER of 10 will cost half as much to operate than one with an EER of 5.
• Do you have central air? Then make sure to clean leaves and debris from the unit.
• Install the AC in shade. If it’s in direct sunlight, your AC will use more energy.
• Make sure your system is the right size for the area you want to cool. A cooling specialist in Virginia and North Carolina can help determine this.
• Clean your filter!
• Stop cooling parts of your home that are being unused. Close doors and registers to help cut down on costs.
• Install a programmable thermostat.
• Install an attic fan. Hot air gets trapped into attics, and that hot air sinks into the rooms below.

How Windows And Insulation Can Help You Reduce Energy Costs In Chesapeake, Sanford, And Fayetteville

Think of windows as just big gaping holes in your home. If not properly sealed, these windows will add to your energy costs. Here’s what you can do to reduce your monthly bills:

• Get drapes to cut heat loss.
• Install storm windows, or, better yet, double-pane or triple-pane windows.

Much of your heat leaves through uninsulated walls, floors, ceilings, and attics. In fact, some studies suggest up to 50%! Here’s how to reduce that number:

• Check the R-value of your insulation. The higher the number, the better the material.
• Add batts of fiberglass insulation to your attic.
• Add extra insulation to your floors by using rugs and pads.
• Wrap heat ducts with insulation.
• Seal cracks where pipes, wires, vents and ducts enter.
• Insulate hot water pipes that are in unheated areas, so that your hot water remains hot.

Make Sure Your Systems Are Efficient And Running Optimally

All the tips in the world won’t do much good if your heating and cooling systems are old or inefficient. Make sure that you’re not needlessly wasting money on energy by having one of our heating and cooling specialists inspect your system. We’ll let you know if and how your system can be improved, or if it’s time to start thinking about “out with the old, in with the new.” Comfort First provides unmatched heating and cooling installation, repairs and maintenance to homes and businesses throughout the Chesapeake area, as well as Fayetteville and Sanford, North Carolina. Contact us today to learn more!