Keeping Energy Costs On The Lower Side
If you want to lower your air conditioning and heating energy costs it will mean your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) — must be working as efficiently as possible. That means any defects in the system must be fixed as soon as they occur.
It is false economy not to spend money on air conditioning and heating repairs because a defective system will only see your energy expenditure rocket. Further delays might even see the air conditioner and heater becoming totally unusable, leading to it having to be replaced and you having to spend a huge sum of money.
Have Your Heating System Serviced Regularly
One of the best ways to ensure that your air conditioning and heating continues to work efficiently is to have it regularly serviced, at least once a year. Of course that will incur added costs, but it need not be as expensive as repairs. What is more, you will be ensuring your property’s
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Can You Really Save Energy By Closing Bedroom Doors?
Everyone wants to save on energy costs. One of the most popular ways to save energy in the home is to close doors and vents, especially in rooms which are not occupied. The only problem is this will not save a cent. Energy cannot be saved by closing bedroom doors, or any other door in the home..
Keep Your Home Cool In The Summer And Warm In Winter
To keep your home cool during the summer and warm in the winter, you need to have an efficient HVAC system. This is the system which provides air conditioning and heating. In order for it to work efficiently, air has to be able to circulate within the property. If doors are kept closed, even in unoccupied rooms, the air is not able to circulate freely. This, in turn, will lead to the HVAC system not being able to work efficiently, meaning that energy will be wasted instead of being saved.
Even if doors are closed the air does not even remain within
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Preventative Maintenance Isn’t An Option; It’s A Must
You should never neglect your HVAC. It plays an important part in ensuring your home stays comfortable. In fact, if you neglect your HVAC system it could be potentially dangerous for both your home and family.
At Horizon we offer a wide range of services for your HVAC system all geared towards ensuring it operates efficiently and safely. We offer planned annual maintenance, routine repairs and our skilled technicians will even come out for emergencies. Our rates are affordable and our aim is to provide the best service for our customers.
Planned HVAC maintenance is a smart investment and here are five reasons why.
1. It’s Inexpensive
Planning to have your HVAC regularly maintained will not cost you the earth. It is far cheaper than having to pay for costly repairs should the system break down. Planned maintenance will also ensure your system works efficiently. An HVAC system which
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Check Out Your HVAC System Regularly For Sings of Potential Problems
You can expect some noise from heating and air conditioning vents, but it can prove to be very annoying when you hear popping and banging or high-pitched tuning fork type sounds. When that occurs it could be a sign that something is amiss with your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
The Return Or Supply Air Flow
One reason for the irritating sounds emanating from the vents could be a problem with the return or supply air flow. An air filter that is clogged, dirty blower wheels, closed supply vents or duct dampers can result in the HVAC system having to work much harder, thereby producing much more noise than it has to. Ignoring these causes can also result in the possibility of damaging your heater or air conditioning system. Other causes of excess noise may be debris or other small items that have fallen into the ducts. That particular problem can be solved by having
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Winterization Tips to Save Energy and Money
Winterizing your property – guarding it against the cold – is essential if you are to remain warm and comfortable as temperatures plunge below zero.
Very few of us have unlimited cash to spend and for those with only small budgets, winterizing the home may appear to be something of a lost cause. That is simply not true. You can protect your home against the cold weather for between $100 and $500, or less.
Winterizing Your Home On A $100 Budget
Let us be perfectly honest, you cannot buy very much nowadays with $100, but what you can do is ensure the place in which you live remains warm, comfortable and draft free during the cold weather. Drafts are always a problem and you can prevent them by caulking your windows, doors and sidings. Low expansion window foam can also be used to fill insulation gaps around the window jambs, while door threshold strips can prevent cold air coming in beneath doors.
Heating
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Stay Greener And Save Money On Energy Bills
Preparing for the winter is not as difficult as you might think. If you are looking for ways to stay greener and save money on energy bills then there are various simple steps that you could take in order to effectively keep your home warmer.
Winterizing Your Home
If you want to winterize your home effectively then it is recommended that you call out a HVAC contractor to clean and inspect your heating duct. This way you will be able to ensure you are getting the most out of your furnace. The small price it costs to get out an inspector could end up being significantly lower than the winter bill costs.
Using Safe, Green Electric Space Heaters (Versus Using Oil Or Kerosene Heaters)
Although electricity is expensive, space heaters can be a much more cost efficient option than using oil or kerosene heaters. Green electric space heaters are ideal for people who only need to heat up small rooms, such
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Yes, The Dangers Of A Cracked Heat Exchanger Are Real!
The heat exchanger has been described as the lynchpin of a forced air furnace. However, truthfully it is actually much more than that; if a heat exchanger fails or cracks, it poses a possible fatal risk to a household. In most cases, unless the homeowner has scheduled routine furnace maintenance, they may not even know they have cracks or holes in the unit, unless the heating system fails! This is one of the reasons that it is recommended your system be serviced by a well-trained licensed professional company.
In this segment of Ask The Experts, our goal is to help you better understand the functions of your furnace heat exchanger and the possible life threatening dangers of running your system with a cracked heat exchanger.
Q: What is the primary function of a heat exchanger?
A: “A heat exchanger is a piece of metal formed into a type of chamber
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Avoid Costly Repairs By Taking Precautionary Steps
Dust build-up and dirt can be very harmful to HVAC equipment. Remodeling can cause many problems due to the large amount of waste and dust in the air. Without taking the relevant precautions, people could end up having to shell out on very costly repair bills. There are a number of steps that you can take in order to prevent this from happening. Many of these steps are very simple and will not require funding in order for them to be effective.
Consult Your HVAC Contractor Prior To Start
It is always a good idea for your HVAC contractor to check over your plans prior to beginning any project. It can be very frustrating when you discover that things should have been done a different way after the project is complete and the damage has been done.
Avoid Running HVAC While Dusty Work is Being Done
You should try to avoid using your furnace or air conditioning whilst the work is being done.
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Deciding To Replace Your HVAC Equipment
Are you frustrated with the performance of your current heating and air-conditioning system? Have you held off on getting your system repaired because it needs extensive work? Are your energy bills consistently high, no matter how much you try to conserve? If so, it may be time to upgrade to an entirely new HVAC system, but how can you tell when your home needs a new heating and air-conditioning system? Are there specific features you should look for when choosing your new model?
Is It Time To Replace Your System?
Generally, you should replace your home’s air-conditioner if your current system is at least twelve years old. The federal government recommends this rule of thumb so that homeowners will purchase a system that features the most recent energy efficient technology. The same rule applies to heat pumps and also to furnaces and boilers. According to the government, homeowners should consider replacing all
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Learn Effective Ways to Conserve Energy
Whether you use a gas or an electric heating system, a cold fall or winter can put a strain on your utility budget. Taking advantage of a few simple heat saving tips can make the difference between an affordable heating bill and an expensive one.
1. Setting The Thermostat
During the cold weather months, program your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. If you can rest comfortably at a cooler temperature, consider setting it a bit lower during the night.
2. Check Hot Water Temperature Setting
Keep your hot water heater temperature at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough for comfortable showers and baths, and hot enough to use for washing clothes and dishes.
3. Get A Home Energy Audit
Request a home energy audit to find out if you are making full use of your available heating sources, or if you have been losing valuable energy due to air leaks or outdated equipment.
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