Follow these tips to help bring maximum comfort to your home at any season.
Summertime Tips
Before summer begins, have your home’s air conditioning system cleaned and checked.
Invest in a good quality, pleated air filter designed to capture more dust and debris and clean it frequently, at least every 30 days.
Add insulation to your attic and weatherproof your house by covering all exposed windows and by weather-stripping all doors and windows.
Keep programmable thermostats at 78 degrees (F) or higher when not at home (for each degree you raise the thermostat above 78 degrees, you save up to five percent on cooling costs). If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, consider purchasing one. It’s worth the investment.
Dust or vacuum the vents in your home often to ensure the free flow of cool air.
Routinely replacing or cleaning the filters will help your air conditioner operate smoothly. Clogged or dirty filters block normal airflow and can reduce a system’s efficiency over time. In addition, take a walk around your yard. If trees or other plants shade your home, make sure that leaves and sticks are regularly cleared away from your air conditioner.
Winter Tips
Install storm or thermal windows and doors.
Caulk and weather-strip all windows and doors.
Tape and seal leaks in your duct system and coil enclosure. Consider adding insulation to your duct system.
Wrap your water heater with an insulated water heater blanket.
Seal gaps between heated and unheated spaces. Consider installing ceiling fans with reversible motors. In the winter, fans push warm air that collects at ceiling level back down into the room.
