Energy Tips

Keep draperies, shades and blinds open on sunny winter days, especially with windows on the south side of your home, and closed on hot and sunny summer days. Closed drapes also double as insulators.

Use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans only when necessary. Remember, moisture from cooking and bathing helps humidify your house, making it
more comfortable in the winter.

Make sure your air registers and radiators aren’t being blocked by furniture, rugs, drapes or other objects in your home. In addition, be sure to dust or
vacuum registers or radiators on a regular basis.

Have your heating system serviced once a year so it runs properly and effi ciently. Change your furnace filters regularly since dirty fi lters make the system work harder and use more energy than necessary. Contact A-1 Mechanical to set an appointment up today.

Make sure your home has adequate insulation. This includes the attic, exterior walls, floors, basement and crawl spaces. In unheated areas, be sure to insulate around furnace ducts or boiler pipes.

Install Energy Star® compact fluorescent light bulbs and appliances in your home. ENERGY STAR light bulbs use 66 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs.

Use weather stripping and caulk to seal air leaks and block drafts, even in the basement and attic, around doors, windows, chimneys, electrical outlets and other potential areas for air leakage.

Keep your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower in the winter and 78 degrees or higher in the summer to save some green. You also can save with a programmable thermostat that automatically adjusts the temperature when you’re asleep and away.

Put clear plastic sheets over the inside or outside of your windows to reduce heat loss and increase comfort. Window wrap kits, available at your hardware or home store, are an ideal choice for the job.

If you have a fireplace, keep the damper tightly closed when not in use. Also, a glass fireplace screen can help minimize the loss of conditioned air.

Ceiling fans spread cold air more evenly throughout the room. The fan direction should be DOWN for summers, UP for winters, and OFF when you're not at home.

Why cool your house if no one's home? This device allows you to adjust your levels in advance. You could save up to 20% in costs and recover your investment in the first year.