Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc

Cut Down on Your Home Heating Costs with These Quick Tips

Utility bills can be a major expense for homeowners, especially during the wintertime when you need to heat your home to battle cold outdoor temperatures. If you want to stay warm without spending too much money, there are steps you can take to increase your heating system’s efficiency.

Watch this video for some easy tips that can maximize the heat you get out of your system while minimizing your bills. Learn when to dial your thermostat down and when to close your drapes to prevent heat loss.

Scheduling regular heating system service and maintenance is important to make sure your furnace or heat pump is operating in peak condition. Contact Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. for service in the Maryland and DC areas by calling us at (301) 825-9059.

Why Is It So Important to Regularly Replace Your Furnace Filter?

Your home’s furnace is a complex machine with many parts that work together to provide you with heat in the wintertime. The burner and blower assembly circulate warm air through your home’s ducts so it can reach your bedrooms, living room, and any other rooms with heating vents. In order to make sure that air can properly flow through the furnace and throughout your home, you need to make sure the filter is clean.

A dirty filter decreases your furnace’s efficiency 
When dust and other particles accumulate on your furnace filter, they reduce the amount of air that flows through the blower assembly. This means that the heat generated in the furnace doesn’t blow into the ducts with as much force as it should, so it doesn’t reach the rooms in your home as quickly. A dirty filter will increase the time it takes your furnace to heat up your home and thus increase your fuel consumption and your utility bills.

A dirty filter decreases indoor air quality 
In the wintertime, most people keep the windows and doors in their homes tightly sealed to prevent cold drafts from causing chills inside. This means, however, that homes don’t get as much fresh airflow in the winter as they do in other seasons. If you neglect to change your furnace filter, it will eventually stop catching particles and start distributing pollutants throughout your home.

A dirty filter harms your furnace 
If larger dirt particles get into your furnace’s blower, they can cause damage. Nicked fan blades and belts will cause the motors to wear out sooner than they should, and these parts may require expensive repairs.

Regularly changing your furnace filter is only part of correct heating system maintenance. You should also have your furnace cleaned and inspected once per season by a professional to ensure that it is operating at peak efficiency. If you live in the DC or Maryland area, schedule an appointment with Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. by calling (301) 825-9059 today.

Expand Your Heating and Cooling Knowledge with the Information In These Great Links

You can learn more about the different efficiency ratings used to measure HVAC equipment and find out how your home may be experiencing heat loss in several common ways when you visit the resources listed below. Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. can help you overcome these problems and learn more about choosing efficient HVAC equipment, so give us a call at (301) 825-9059 for more information.

• This page from Energy.gov can help you learn how to detect air leaks in your home that can be costing you in terms of comfort and efficiency.
• Head to this article from ThisOldHouse.com to get an idea of what criteria you should use to choose a new furnace for your home.
• This page from EnergyStar.gov contains a variety of HVAC information, including energy efficiency definitions.
• Find out why efficiency and size are both important factors to keep in mind when considering the next furnace for your home on this page from MSU.edu.
• To understand the benefits an energy audit can offer your home, including finding and sealing air leaks, head to this page from ACEEE.org.

Common Ways Heat Escapes Your Home in the Winter

Heat loss can be responsible a sizeable chunk of your utility bill. By understanding where air infiltration and energy loss occur in your home, you can combat this loss, increase the efficiency of your HVAC system, and even extend the system’s life. Your heating services contractor can provide you with the necessary measures to identify and stop heat loss, allowing your home to be more energy-efficient and comfortable, and bringing your utility bills down.

Doors and Windows 
Your doors and windows are key areas of heat loss. If you feel drafts underneath your doors or around your windows, it’s likely that your house can benefit from weatherization. Your older doors and windows may allow heat loss simply because they are not made of today’s high-quality materials, or because they have warped or become damaged over the years. Drafty windows and doors allow the heated air in your home to escape.

Ductwork 
Another big cause of energy loss and homes is leaky ducts. Oftentimes ductwork runs through unheated areas like attics or crawlspaces. If your ductwork is leaking, you have several problems. Naturally, you’re losing heated air, but you’re also inviting in contaminants and offering a haven for pests. Your ductwork should be inspected for leaks when you have your furnace tuned this fall.

Walls, Attics, and Crawlspaces 
The building envelope itself is the final area to look at when combating energy loss through air infiltration. Insulation can settle over time, and it is not uncommon for some homes to have inadequate insulation installed when the home is built. While air leaks may be common around walls, switches, and outlets, you’re also going to want to have your attic and basement or crawlspace analyzed.

By having your heating service provide you with the weatherization and insulation measures to seal your home against air infiltration heat loss, you can reduce the amount of energy that is wasted every month during the heating season. Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. can help make your home more energy efficient so that you can stay comfortable without breaking the bank this winter. Give us a call at (301) 825-9059, or visit us online for additional information today.

Easy Ways to Be Energy-Efficient This Winter

As winter approaches, many homeowners dread the rise of their utility bills. But, by making a few changes around the home and paying attention to your thermostat settings, you can enjoy a comfortable indoor climate while keeping energy costs low.

As this video demonstrates, setting your thermostat to 70 degrees or less can save you around 10 percent on your utility bill, and each degree lower equates to further savings. It is also very important that you have your heating equipment maintained before the winter arrives, so it can operate at peak efficiency without failing mid-season. Watch the full video for more tips on making your home efficient this winter.

Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. can help your Maryland home prepare for the winter. Give us a call at (301) 825-9059 to schedule your furnace tune-up today.