Taking Responsibility: spring energy saving tips

Saving money and energy can become an easy part of your daily activities, if you know what to look for.  As an individual, your efficient use of energy provides benefits such as lower utility bills, improved home comfort and a reduced personal environmental footprint.  The following gives a brief description of energy saving tips for the warm months ahead!

1) Set the thermostat at 76⁰F or higher – save approximately 1% for every 1⁰F increase on your thermostat setting.

2) Use room or ceiling fans – running your ceiling fan on a counter-clockwise operation, provides a cooling breeze and circulates your conditioned air; allowing you to increase your thermostat setting.

3) Shade your windows – close blinds, shades, and/or drapes to reduce the solar heat gain from the sun; thus reducing the load on your air conditioner.

4) Keep filters clean – make sure your air handler (furnace) filter is clean; doing so will allow for better operating efficiency of your air conditioner.

5) Keep registers and cold-air returns clear from blockage – this will ensure for better operation of your heating and cooling system.

6) Use exhaust fans to remove heat and humidity – removing heat and moisture from cooking and showering will reduce cooling and dehumidification costs, while improving your indoor air quality.

Pharo Heating Company feels it is our responsibility to provide information and education to our customers that provides knowledge needed to make better decisions about your heating and/or cooling system(s)!

To learn more about energy saving tips and how you can save, visit pharoheating.com, focusonenergy.com, or energystar.gov.

Be Cool

Apart from keeping the air cool, central air conditioning systems also dehumidify and filter the air we breathe in our homes.  Choosing a central air conditioner can often get confusing for the average home owner, as it still does for me!  However, it doesn’t have to be… just Be Cool because we are going to fill you in on what to look for when looking at adding or replacing a central air conditioning system.

When choosing a central air conditioner, there are many factors to consider:

• SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) Rating – is a standard measurement of electrical efficiency as applied to cooling with an air conditioner. A higher SEER rating means a more efficient product.  Today the standard SEER rating is 13.
• R-410a (Puron) Refrigerant – Puron is a rapidly growing and environmentally sound alternative to R-22 (Freon) refrigerant. It’s an important consideration because Freon is gradually being phased out of existence.
• Noise – the newer air conditioners have made extraordinary improvements to reducing their noise levels, measured in decibels. However, certain manufacturers are ahead of the rest.
• Warranty – the standard warranty for air conditioners is 10 years, however not all manufacturers or models are created equal.
• Brand – is a little tougher topic to set guidelines on, but brand can make the difference. It is important to look at companies that have been around for an extended period, and also that stand behind their product.
• Size – sizing is amongst the most important things, because an improper sized air conditioner can drastically affect the unit’s efficiency. Too large of a unit will not adequately remove humidity, while too small of a unit will not be able to attain a comfortable temperature on the hottest days.
• Rebates & Tax Credits – during 2010, there is a lot of money to be saved using the available rebates and Federal tax credits.

Today’s best air conditioners use 30%+ less energy than those made in the mid 1970s.  Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 10%-30% by replacing with a newer, more efficient model.  If you have an older unit, you may choose to replace it with a modern, high-efficient unit.

Whatever air conditioner you choose, be sure that a qualified contractor is doing the installation of the unit because having somebody that knows what they are doing will make it that much easier to just Be Cool when it’s 90⁰ plus this summer!

For more information about how to choose the right air conditioner, visit pharoheating.com, or call 608-233-1001.