Posts Tagged ‘save money’

It looks like Winter will officially be here soon and if we have one like last year, your bill could get out of hand easily. Here are some tips for saving money on your bill this season!

Never use open flames or candles for heating. Damage from fires is much more expensive than heating bills.

Try to teach children to keep doors closed and discuss other ways of conserving heat and saving energy. If yours haven’t turned out a light since they were old enough to stop playing with the light switch – good luck!

Check to see if you qualify for any government assistance with your heating bills if you have a low income or are a senior citizen on a fixed income.

Check tax breaks and homeowner’s insurance policies for savings when you add energy conserving items to your home.

Check with your local electric company to find out if they have times during the day when the rates are lower. Using the oven, dishwasher, washing machine and other energy demanding appliances during these times may lead to big savings. Be careful. Some plans may make you pay a premium price for using electric during peak hours and you’ll need to make sure to do wash and other chores during the off hours.

Talk to your utility company for other suggestions for saving money on your heating bills. Many companies will actually send someone to your house for a home energy audit and offer suggestions to help you use less energy.

Article cited: http://www.chiff.com/a/cut-heat-bills.htm

…and save A LOT of money later!

What am I talking about…filters! It’s pretty simple to change a filter once a month. It will cost you between $25-75 per case of 12 usually and depending on the size of the filter. That is a year’s worth of filters. Not expensive at all, is it? What is expensive? Dirty air filters!

Dirty air filters are a source of increased operating costs and poor cooling system operation.

Dirty air filters can:

1. reduce air flow in the building
2. cause dirt to accumulate on the fan blades, wasting your energy dollars
3. cause excessive dirt build-up inside the duct system, leading to mold or allergen problems in a building and to the need for more costly duct cleaning or replacement
4. block the cooling coil itself with dirt, reducing system effectiveness and possibly leading to costly repairs
5. lead to frost build-up on the cooling coil and reduced or totally blocked air flow in the system
6. eventually permit dirt to bypass the filter where it soils and blocks the blower fan itself, leading to more costly repairs.

Some of these issues can cause upwards of $500 to repair. Sounds like a good trade to me…$25 now and save $100′s later.

The filters on an air conditioning or hot air heating system should be changed monthly when the system is in use. Discuss with us the possible need to clean the blower fan and duct work.

Source cited: http://www.inspectapedia.com/aircond/AirFilterClog.htm

Sealing and insulating the “envelope” or “shell” of your home — its outer walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and floors — is often the most cost effective way to improve energy efficiency and comfort. ENERGY STAR estimates that a knowledgeable homeowner or skilled contractor can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10% on their total annual energy bill) by sealing and insulating.

To Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR:

• Seal air leaks throughout the home to stop drafts,
• Add insulation to block heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer,
• Choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows when replacing windows.

If your attic is accessible and you like home improvement projects, you can Do-It-Yourself with help from our DIY Guide to Sealing and Insulating with ENERGY STAR. The Guide offers step-by-step instructions for sealing common air leaks and adding insulation to the attic.

You can also hire a contractor who will use special diagnostic tools to pinpoint and seal the hidden air leaks in your home. A Home Energy Rater can help you find contractors that offer air sealing services in your area.

Sealing Leaks

Many air leaks and drafts are easy to find because they are easy to feel — like those around windows and doors. But holes hidden in attics, basements, and crawlspaces are usually bigger problems. Sealing these leaks with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping will have a great impact on improving your comfort and reducing utility bills. Click on the house diagram to see common air leak locations that you should aim to seal.

Homeowners are often concerned about sealing their house too tightly; however, this is very unlikely in most older homes. A certain amount of fresh air is needed for good indoor air quality and there are specifications that set the minimum amount of fresh air needed for a house. If you are concerned about how tight your home is, hire a contractor, such as a Home Energy Rater, who can use diagnostic tools to measure your home’s actual leakage. If your home is too tight, a fresh air ventilation system may be recommended.

After any home sealing project, have a heating and cooling technician check to make sure that your combustion appliances (gas- or oil-fired furnace, water heater, and dryer) are venting properly. For additional information on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) issues related to homes, such as combustion safety, visit EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Web site.

Adding Insulation

Insulation keeps your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There are several common types of insulation — fiberglass (in both batt and blown forms), cellulose, rigid foam board, and spray foam. Reflective insulation (or radiant barrier) is another insulating product which can help save energy in hot, sunny climates.

When correctly installed with air sealing, each type of insulation can deliver comfort and lower energy bills during the hottest and coldest times of the year.

Insulation performance is measured by R-value — its ability to resist heat flow. Higher R-values mean more insulating power. Different R-values are recommended for walls, attics, basements and crawlspaces, depending on your area of the country. Insulation works best when air is not moving through or around it. So it is very important to seal air leaks before installing insulation to ensure that you get the best performance from the insulation.

• See Recommended Levels of Insulation to determine what is most cost-effective for your home.
• For more comprehensive information, check the Department of Energy’s online Insulation Guide .

To get the biggest savings, the easiest place to add insulation is usually in the attic. A quick way to see if you need more insulation is to look across your uncovered attic floor. If your insulation is level with or below the attic floor joists, you probably need to add more insulation. The recommended insulation level for most attics is R-38 (or about 12–15 inches, depending on the insulation type). In the coldest climates, insulating up to R-49 is recommended.

Sealing Ducts

In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems, ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. In a typical house, however, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections. The result is higher utility bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set.

Because some ducts are concealed in walls and between floors, repairing them can be difficult. However, exposed ducts in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and garages can be repaired by sealing the leaks with duct sealant (also called duct mastic). In addition, insulating ducts that run through spaces that get hot in summer or cold in winter (like attics, garages, or crawlspaces) can save significant energy.

Additionally, if you are replacing your forced-air heating and cooling equipment, make sure your contractor installs the new system according to ENERGY STAR quality installation guidelines. A quality installation will include a thorough inspection of your duct system, including proper sealing and balancing of ductwork, to help ensure that your new system delivers the most comfort and efficiency.

Learn more about improving your ducts.

Replacing an outdated central air-conditioning unit not only will save you money on your energy bill, but it also will affect your tax bill. The government has increased a tax-credit program to encourage homeowners to invest in energy-saving products. Tax credits are a particularly valuable tax benefit, because they directly reduce your tax bill rather than merely being deducted from your income.

Step 1

Review the energy-efficiency tax credit savings available. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 introduced energy-efficiency tax credits for 30 percent of the total cost to purchase an energy-efficient central air-conditioning unit. This tax credit allows 30 percent, with a maximum limit of $1,500, of an air-conditioning unit’s costs to be credited back to consumers via their federal tax returns. For example, a unit that costs $3,000 will be eligible for a $900 tax credit. Any unit exceeding $5,000 is subject to the maximum eligible credit of $1,500.

Step 2

Look for specific energy-efficient models when selecting a new air-conditioning unit. The U.S. government has specific standards an energy-efficient air-conditioning unit must meet to quality for a tax credit (see Resources). Different requirements are mandated in either a split or package air-conditioning system. Split-system central air-conditioning units must have an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) greater than 13 and a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) greater than 16. Package central air-conditioning systems must have an EER greater than 12 and a SEER greater than 14.

Step 3

Buy and install your new energy-efficient central air-conditioning system and save all your receipts.

Step 4

Save the manufacturer’s certification statement from your energy-efficient central air-conditioning system. This certification should be included with your purchase. The Internal Revenue Service will not require the certification to be filed with the taxes, but it does recommend keeping the certificate with your tax records. The certificate proves that you have purchased the correct product to qualify for the energy-efficiency tax credit.

Step 5

File for a tax credit by including the proper forms with your federal tax return

Read more: How to Receive Tax Credit for New Central Air Conditioning | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4912862_receive-new-central-air-conditioning.html#ixzz0wEYHZVDV

Windows and doors are just as important to your HVAC as the system itself. If you don’t have sealed or proper fitting windows and doors, dollars could be flying out of them every day and forcing your HVAC to work harder and less efficiently.

Thermo’s here to tell you that Casteel Heating and Cooling can actually save you money! Want to know how? Call 770-565-5884 or visit our website: www.casteelair.com