By Jim Ellia on Jul 13, 2016 in Cooling, Heating, Thermostats |

It’s no secret that heating and cooling costs account for the majority of our energy bills. Everyone wants their homes to be comfortable; cozy and warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Coming home after a long day of work to a house that’s either too cold or too hot can be a real problem, but some people feel that it’s more important to save money on their next energy bill rather than have their HVAC systems running constantly while they’re away. Luckily, there’s a solution to help improve your family’s comfort and keep your energy costs lower – installing a programmable thermostat. Programmable Thermostat Benefits A programmable thermostat will work in a variety of environments, no matter how big or small your home may be, how many levels there are, or the time of the year it is. Wondering if you should consider installing a programmable thermostat? Here are five benefits they provide: Saving money. The number one benefit of a programmable thermostat is the cost savings they provide. Because they allow you to set your system to run only at certain times, you don’t have to leave the air conditioning or the heat on when no one is home. Create the schedule that is right for your family’s daily routine to help decrease the time the system is running. Increasing energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is a hot topic for many families today, and we are always looking for ways to use our resources more effectively. A programmable thermostat allows for less energy wasted throughout the day, which is great for your home and the environment. Improving comfort levels. Programmable thermostats not only allow for a consistent temperature throughout the home, but also provide a way to change the heat or air conditioning settings to work with your schedule. Perhaps you enjoy it cooler overnight for sleeping, for example. Simply set the thermostat to decrease the temperature at bedtime. Easy to install and control. Most programmable thermostats can be installed in about an hour- even by a non-professional! New models also allow for a higher level of control, with systems that can be accessed remotely from a mobile device. Optimizing your HVAC system. Perhaps you have...

By Jim Ellia on Nov 2, 2015 in energy efficiency, Residential, Thermostats |

When you’re walking throughout your home, do you notice a vast difference in room temperatures? Are there certain cold spots that just never seem to warm up, or rooms that get vast amounts of sunlight and seem stuffy and hot all the time? Do you have an addition on your house where the temperature never matches the other rooms? If the answers to any of these questions were yes, then it might be a good idea to consider a zoning system. What is a Zoning System? Unlike a traditional HVAC system with one thermostat to control the heating and cooling throughout the entire house, a zoning system allows a homeowner to control the temperatures for various rooms of the home independently. One thermostat can be somewhat ineffective, because the different floors and areas of your home may have several factors that affect the temperatures. Having multiple thermostats instead of just one allows homeowners to direct the heated or cooled air where it’s most needed. A zoning system communicates with the thermostats, opening and closing dampers installed within your home’s ductwork. The Benefits of Zoning Systems for Your Home   The types of homes that can benefit from a zoning system include those with multiple levels or finished attics or basements, a new addition (usually built on a concrete slab or over the garage, for instance), and homes with larger floor plans. Or, if some of the rooms in your home have large windows or even an entire wall of windows, zoning systems can help regulate the temperatures in these spaces. Some of the other benefits of a zoning system include: Increase energy efficiency. Homeowners can see an increase in their home’s energy efficiency with a zoning system. According to the Department of Energy, the average savings you can see in your energy bills is around 30%! Maximize indoor air comfort. When you’re able to control the temperature levels throughout your home, you’ll notice a different in the comfort of each room. Maybe one member of your family is always cold at night; you can adjust the settings so that person’s room is warmer than the others. Decrease wear and tear on your HVAC system. A zoning system can increase...

By Jim Ellia on Oct 19, 2015 in Thermostats |

Over the past few years, it seems like more and more “smart” products have been entering the market. From phones to appliances, smart products are being created to help make our lives easier, organized and more manageable. A relatively new smart product is the smart thermostat.  If you already have a programmable thermostat in your home, you might be wondering if you should consider an upgrade to a smart thermostat. What can these products really do that your current thermostat can’t? What is a Smart Thermostat? Unlike a typical programmable thermostat, a smart thermostat allows for full control over your home’s heating and cooling. You can manage the temperature from a remote location via smartphone, tablet or desktop application based on the time of day. Many smart thermostats can also “learn” your behaviors. This means that you can instruct them to shut off at a certain time of day, like when the last person in the house leaves for school or work, and to come back on in time to make the house comfortable before everyone gets home for the day. A smart thermostat will allow you to view energy consumption in real-time, and some will even adjust themselves based on conditions like the humidity levels in your home. There are two basic types of smart thermostats- the types that automatically “learn” from your behaviors and can adjust themselves accordingly, and the types that are connected to the internet for remote programming and management. Most of the better models will be a combination of both these types. The remote interface of a smart thermostat allows you to tweak your programming so you can ensure that you’re saving as much money on your heating and cooling bills as possible. You’ll see the results immediately, too! Should I Get a Smart Thermostat? A smart thermostat can benefit you in a few different ways. Along with providing valuable insight into your home’s energy consumption and hopefully allowing you to reduce some of your bills, they also can make your home a lot more comfortable. You won’t have to worry about coming home to a chilly house, even if you leave the heat off for the majority of the day. The smart thermostat...

By Jim Ellia on Dec 8, 2014 in Air Conditioning, Cooling, Furnaces, Thermostats |

Everyone is looking for ways to make their homes more energy efficient these days. When it comes to your heating and cooling system, there are definitely ways to ensure that you’re saving energy and cutting down on your monthly utility bills. That said, there are also a lot of myths about the ways you can actually conserve energy in your home, and you might think that by implementing these “tricks” you’re improving your home’s energy efficiency.  We are here to debunk some of those energy efficiency myths and share the correct way to get the most out of your heating and cooling system. Myth #1: Keep your thermostat at the same temperature throughout the day and night.  Why this is false:  It actually will require less energy to warm up or cool down your home in the morning than it does to keep it at a constant temperature. Plus, setting the temperature back by around 10 degrees at night or when on one is home (for at least an eight hour stretch) can help reduce your energy bill by 10-15%. Myth #2: There’s no need to perform annual maintenance checks on your HVAC system.  Why this is false:  To keep your system working properly, it’s important to maintain it through routine checks annually. Problems tend to occur at the worst times, like that first chilly fall day or hot, muggy summer night due to the fact that you haven’t been maintaining your system through an annual check-up. Preventative maintenance will help lower your bills in the long run, because you’ll potentially save on the high costs of parts and labor or even an entire system replacement. Myth #3: A fan is all you need to keep a room cool all day long.  Why this is false:  Fans are great to cool you off on a warm day, but they actually only cool the surface of your skin.  They don’t lower the temperature of the room.  To save on your energy bills, make sure you’re turning off ceiling fans or stand or floor fans when no one is using them in a particular room. Myth #4: Sealing off or closing vents and registers will help reduce your energy bill.  Why...

By Jim Ellia on Nov 28, 2014 in Air Conditioning, Cleveland, Furnaces, Heating, Thermostats |

Using a programmable thermostat is a great, easy way to make your home more energy efficient. It’s estimated that you can save an average of $180 each year through proper use of a programmable thermostat. The average cost of a programmable thermostat is anywhere from $30 to over $200, and the type you choose depends on the features you’re looking for, your budget, and your needs. Learning how to properly program your thermostat is vital to notice a difference in your monthly energy costs. Rules for Proper Use of Your Programmable Thermostat Installing a programmable thermostat is a relatively simple task that you should be able to perform yourself. First, make sure you shut off the power to the circuit before you begin. Then, simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions, connecting the new unit to the same wiring as your old one. Of course, if you’re not comfortable with the installation, Efficient Heating and Cooling can help! Keep in mind that your thermostat should be on an inside wall of your home, away from windows, doors, drafts and sunlight. Being exposed to extreme or sudden heat or cooling changes will affect its efficiency. Also, never place furniture in front of your thermostat, as this could block the air movement around it. Once the programmable thermostat is installed properly, there are a few things to keep in mind to keep it working at its most efficient: Consider your schedule. Programmable thermostats are generally available with four different scheduling cycles, depending on the type you chose. You can either schedule a program for each day of the week, or the weekdays and the weekend days, either together or separately. Set the thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter during the hours you are home and awake, and around ten degrees cooler overnight. Turning your thermostat down by 10 to 15 degrees for an 8 hour period will actually save you 5-15% on your heating bill! Avoid overriding the program. The thermostat will allow you to override the current heat or cool setting to make the home temporarily warmer or colder. Try not to use this feature very often; consistently overriding the settings will use more energy, which in turn will cost you...