Energy Saving Tips for Summer

After a fleeting spring, another energy-guzzling season is here: Summer, when air-conditioning costs threaten to break the bank. However, don't despair. There are many energy saving tips available for homes, and most of them are relatively simple to put into effect.Summer Energy Saving Tips

• Program for savings. There's no reason why your A/C has to be cooling your home at a comfortable temperature 24/7. If you don't already have one, install a programmable thermostat, then set it to higher temperatures (low to mid-80s) for times when you're at work or away from home. Program the temperature to return to a cool and comfortable level shortly before you expect to arrive home.

• Use ceiling fans. A ceiling fan can make the temperature in a room seem like it's several degrees lower than it actually is, as long as the fan is blowing air at people in the room. You can turn up the thermostat several degrees and save energy, while not sacrificing comfort. Just remember to turn off the fan when the room is empty. The fan's cooling effect is useless if nobody's around to feel it.

• Open the windows. When the outside air isn't too hot or moist, open windows and doors and let natural ventilation cool off your home. Open them at nighttime, then seal the house in the mid-morning before it gets hot. That cool morning air should allow you to delay turning on the A/C a few hours.

• Weatherize the house. Seal air leaks in the home's envelope, using weatherstripping, caulk or spray foam depending on the size and type of leak. Make sure the attic is well insulated to keep heated air from gravitating downward into your living spaces.

• Schedule preventive maintenance. Before summer really heats up, schedule an A/C maintenance visit. This will ensure that your cooling system is ready to perform efficiently and effectively all summer long. Perform air-filter maintenance yourself at least monthly during the summer.

For more energy saving tips for this summer, please contact us at Air Assurance, providing quality HVAC services in the Broken Arrow area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Ondrej Supitar/StockSnap”

Don't Fall for These Energy-Saving Myths

The HVAC world is full of old wives’ tales, especially when it comes to saving energy. By understanding the truth behind these energy-saving myths, you can make informed decisions on how to reduce your home’s energy consumption without sacrificing comfort.

Myth #1: Ceiling Fans Can Cool Down a Hot Room

The gentle breeze a ceiling fan produces makes you feel cooler due to the wind chill effect. However, it won’t do anything to lower actual room temperatures. Unlike air conditioners, ceiling fans are incapable of removing heat from the air – an essential step for lowering room temperatures.

Myth #2: Closed Vents Reduce Energy Use

Keeping your vents closed won’t help you save energy. A closed vent can upset your HVAC system’s air flow balance, making it work harder than usual to provide the same heating performance at the cost of higher energy consumption.

Myth #3: Raising Your Thermostat Heats Your Home Faster

Contrary to popular belief, raising your thermostat to its maximum setting won’t heat your home any faster. However, it will burn unnecessary energy and make your home uncomfortably hot.

Myth #4: Turning Off Your Electronics is Enough to Save Power

Many of today’s appliances use small amounts of power for “standby” purposes as long as they’re plugged in. As a result, you’re better off unplugging your electronics if you want to save.

Myth #5: Using Your Fireplace Saves Energy

Whenever you’re using your fireplace, you’ll have to leave the damper open to vent toxic gases outdoors. Although the room you’re in remains toasty, overall temperatures throughout your home can drop as a result.

Myth #6: Replacing Your Windows Cuts Your Energy Costs

Here’s an energy-saving myth that’s partially right. While replacing your drafty windows with energy-efficient windows can cut energy costs, the expense involved in replacing them means you won’t break even until years later.

Contact us at Air Assurance to learn about these and other energy-saving myths. We proudly provide heating and cooling services to Broken Arrow homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Ribah/Shutterstock”

Could a Zoning System Save Energy in Your Home?

If you're using just one thermostat to regulate temperatures in your Oklahoma home, you're likely losing energy. Your house also isn't as comfortable throughout its interior as it would be with a zoning system. This is particularly the case with larger homes or those with more than one level.

How Does a Zoning System Work?

First, the house is divided into separate climate zones. This might be as simple as creating a separate zone for each floor of the house. This is usually a good plan, since upper floors tend to heat quicker than the main floor or a finished basement. For example, in the summer, while the basement family room is cool and comfortable, the bedrooms upstairs will likely need extra cooling due to heat rising. On the other hand, in the winter, the finished basement will need more heat than elsewhere in the house, while upper floors will warm up relatively easily. Other good reasons for separate zones include rooms with lots of windows or southern exposure, or rooms added onto a house. It's virtually impossible to effectively heat and cool all parts of a larger or multi-story house with just one thermostat.After the zones are established, a programmable thermostat and controllable duct dampers are installed in each zone, so that if one zone requires heating or cooling, the HVAC system will direct conditioning to that zone without affecting the heating or cooling in any other zone.

Benefits of a Zoning System

You'll save energy with a zoning system, since it guarantees that only parts of the house that need conditioning will receive it. In a single-thermostat house, the whole house receives cooled or heated air, regardless of whether all rooms need it.Comfort and convenience also will be served, since a family member in one room can set the temperature to his or her preference without affecting the temperature in other rooms, where a family member there might have different ideas about comfort.

To discuss adding an energy-saving zoning system in your Broken Arrow area home, please contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Angela Waye/Shutterstock”

Ways to Save Energy in the 3 Most Important Rooms in Your Home

The ways you can save energy at home vary from room to room, but look carefully and you'll discover many opportunities for reducing your carbon footprint and realizing energy savings. Let the tips below guide you, and use them in your home whenever you can.

Living Room

The living room offers ways to save energy from ceiling to floor. Start with the air conditioning/heating registers. Make sure ductwork is securely attached to the vents so that no air is leaking around them. Check for air leaks around windows, exterior doors, light switches and wiring on exterior walls. Seal the openings with caulk or insulation.

Close blinds and curtains in summer to prevent heat gain. In winter, open the blinds during the day, and close them at night to prevent heat loss.When you choose an entertainment center or appliance, make sure it's rated by Energy Star, the Environmental Protection Agency's energy efficiency program. Plug all electronic appliances and lamps into a power strip, which you should turn off when you leave the room. Also, use fluorescent light bulbs for light fixtures, and turn lights off when the occupants leave the room.

Bathroom

Save water by fixing toilet, sink and shower leaks. Take shorter showers and install low-flow shower heads, faucets and toilets. To help get rid of moisture that contributes to higher humidity and a clammy feeling that inspires turning down the thermostat, install exhaust ventilation. Replace vanity lights with Energy Star-certified fixtures and bulbs, and always turn off lights when you leave the room.

Attic

Keep heat from the attic out of the home by insulating and weatherstripping the attic hatch. Likewise, seal air leaks around an attic or furnace flue, and cover gaps with metal flashing or high-temperature caulk. Repair holes in ducts with mastic and metal tape. Make sure there's proper ventilation in the attic to let out heat and moisture.

For more on how to save energy at home, contact Air Assurance. We've been serving the Tulsa metropolitan area since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  Credit/Copyright Attribution: “dgbomb/Shutterstock”

How To Save On Heating Costs This Year

As we all know, our winters can be damp and miserable.  But, here in Broken Arrow, you can save money on heating while still keeping your home warm and comfortable. You can reduce your heating bill without compromising your family's comfort by taking a few simple steps to use your heating system more efficiently. You can do many things that will cost you little or no money, then you can consider some larger investments that will give you a great return on your money.1. The first thing you can do to save money on heating is to manage your thermostat wisely. If you and your family are out working during the day, set your thermostat down five to eight degrees below where you prefer to keep it when people are home. You can turn up the heat as soon as you get home and your house will heat right back up in short order, but you will have cut your heating bill significantly by letting it cool down during the day.You can cut your heating bill even more by turning your thermostat down at night when everyone is sleeping. Put extra blankets on your beds and you will never notice the difference. Many people prefer sleeping in a slightly cooler room.2. Another good way to save money on heating is to not let the warm air escape from your house. Be sure the weatherstripping is in good shape around all of your windows and doors. Use caulking around window and door trim.  Check for gaps where ducts and piping go from heated areas to unheated spaces and plug them with insulation. If you don't use your fireplace every day, be sure the damper is closed and seals tightly to keep cold air from falling down your chimney.3. Inspect your home's insulation levels.  By simply looking in your attic, if you can see the rafters, you are in need of more insulation, and could be losing as much as 30% of the heat you're paying for.  The Department of Energy recommends at least R-30 to R39 (or up to 19") for the state of Oklahoma.4.  While you're in the attic, inspect your ductwork for damaged areas.  Look for cracks or leaks around where the ductwork connects to your furnace.  There's no sense in heating your attic right?Once you have done all of the free and inexpensive things you can to save money on heating, consider investing in a more efficient furnace or installing a solar or even a geothermal heating system.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services the Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas.  To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.