When it comes to heating and cooling, one concern most people throughout North Carolina have is the seemingly never-ending rising energy costs. Each month, there’s no relief from the cost of maintaining a level of comfort your family deserves, be it in the dead of winter or in the middle of the summer. You certainly can’t afford to stop heating or cooling your home, so how can you maintain the level of comfort your family needs, while putting an end to rising energy bills?

You make your home more energy efficient. Energy efficiency has certainly been a hot topic for several years, but not everyone is sure what it means to have an energy efficient home. There are countless ways (aside from things relating to your heating and cooling) that can help your home become more energy efficient, including:

• Skipping pre-rinsing dishes
• Changing your lightbulbs from incandescent to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
• Install low-flow toilets and shower heads

We encourage our customers throughout North Carolina to practice these habits, however, there are also many changes you can make to your heating and cooling that will keep you comfortable, while making you smile when your bills come each month:

1. Air Filters

Replace your air filters every two to three months. Do you have pets? You’ll want to change your filters more frequently. A dirty air filter will make your furnace work harder, thus it’ll require more energy.

2. Insulate Heaters And Pipes

You might not believe it, but covering your water heater with a specialized water heater blanket will retain a lot of heat, making it use less energy to heat the water. You can also insulate pipes with foam or rubber pipe insulation to keep cold pipes from sweating.

3. Seal Doors And Windows

It certainly makes no sense to heat or cool the entire neighborhood, but that’s what you’re doing when you allow air to escape through cracks in your doors and windows. Replace old window caulk and use door sealers.

4. Clean Air Ducts

A clean air duct will improve air flow and reduce stress on your furnace or central air conditioner.

5. Take A Look At The Quality Of Your Thermostat

If you have an outdated thermostat that isn’t programmable, you may be spending more than $100 per year on energy. Upgrade to a programmable thermostat.

It All Starts With Your Equipment

While you can certainly save some money on your energy bill by practicing these 5 tips outlined above, the only way to ensure you have an energy efficient home is to get energy efficient (and Energy Star) appliances. A professional audit by an energy expert can help you determine which areas of your home need immediate attention. Here at Comfort First, we remain committed to matching our clients with the most energy efficient heating and cooling solutions on the market. Not only do we work hard to save you money during installation, but we find a way to ensure you save money each month for many years to come.

Contact us today to learn more.