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GrandBridge Energy

Conservation

Heating and Cooling your Home

You can save money and increase your comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment, regardless of what kind of heating and cooling system you have in your house.

Older, less efficient furnaces can waste as much as 50% of the energy they use. However, an energy-efficient furnace alone will not have as great an impact on your energy bills as using the whole home approach.

By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with recommended insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling.

  • Set your programmable thermostat at 21° C for heating and 26° C for cooling — these are the best temperatures for keeping you comfortable and for keeping your heating and cooling systems efficient. Depending on the season – raise or lower the set point when you’re sleeping or away from home.
  • Clean or replace filters on furnaces and air conditioners once a month or as recommended.
  • Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
  • Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
  • Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
  • During winter, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
  • During summer, keep the window coverings closed during the day to block the sun’s heat.

Long-term Savings Tips

Select energy-efficient products when you buy new heating and cooling equipment. Your contractor should be able to give you energy fact sheets for different types.

More Energy Saving Tips from Save on Energy