by Cooper Climate Control
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You want to wake up to a warm house. You want to come home from work to a warm house. And you want to save money. You can have it all with the latest generation of thermostat technology and by properly maintaining your furnace. Get your thermostat and furnace working efficiently during this cold weather and enjoy a warm, cozy home while saving money.
Saving Money With Your Thermostat
The U.S. Department of Energy says that you can save 5 to 15 percent every year on your home energy costs by reducing your thermostat just 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours each day. Simply setting back your thermostat before you go to bed and before going to work will save you money. But you’ll wake up, and after work you’ll come home to, a cold house. And if you forget to set the thermostat, you won’t save. Programmable models do the work for you.
Programmed for Savings
The most basic programmable thermostat lets you set up a schedule of times and temperatures. A simple schedule might be:
Monday through Friday
6:00am – Increase temperature to 68 degrees
8:00am – Reduce temperature to 55 degrees
4:00pm – Increase temperature to 68 degrees
10:00pm – Reduce temperature to 55 degrees
Depending on your weekend schedule, you may set different times to let you sleep in and wake up to a warm home. These thermostats may automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time, or you may have to do it manually. They will also have an override function so you can raise or lower the temperature during the schedule. A Cooper Climate Control installed thermostat is a great choice because we leave you fully trained on how to use it as well as support resources in case you run into any problems.
When the Thermostat is Not Enough
If your furnace is not working efficiently, first check the batteries in your thermostat. If that is not the problem the next step would be to check your filters. If your home has clogged filters you won’t save as much as you could on your home heating costs. In fact, if the furnace has to work harder, it could continue to cost you more until you have the problems addressed. You can start with some maintenance items you can do yourself.
Replace the furnace filter every 1 to 2 months, depending on if you have pets or live where the conditions are dusty. While the filter is out, vacuum the compartment in which it sits. Also vacuum any vents or ductwork around the furnace that are used to draw air into the furnace. The next step is to have a service company come out and inspect your furnace.
Professional Furnace Maintenance
You should have your furnace inspected at least once a year, more often if you have an older heating system. Service companies have the equipment to measure and adjust your furnace to make it work efficiently again.
Cooper Climate Control will look at your burners, both gas and electric, because they can lose their ability to heat up efficiently. They will look at the heat exchanger which is where the heat created by the furnace comes into contact with the air that gets circulated through your ductwork. Each Cooper Climate Control technician is Heat Exchanger Safety Certified. If there are cracks or holes in the exchanger, or the burners are no longer working well, we will find the issue and give you an option to repair the issue or replace the furnace depending on the cost.
If replacement is your best choice, you should consider an Energy Star certified furnace. These are units that have been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as meeting a set of efficiency guidelines. You will get the best performance and savings from these furnaces.
Other areas included in a furnace tune-up are the mechanism that ignites the fuel to produce the heat, the pressure in a gas system, and carbon monoxide levels. The temperature in the heating vents going to the house are measured and your thermostat is calibrated to make sure it indicates the right temperature. With the right adjustments by the furnace company, these efforts can get your furnace back to working efficiently.
Heat Your Home and Save Money
Use a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home’s temperature. Change filters and gently clean the area around your air ducts. Have your furnace inspected every year. By taking care of your heating system, you’ll have warmth when you want it, and save money on your utility bills every year.
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