How To Read Residential Meters

You can read your own meters to help monitor your electric or gas energy use. During the heating season, your energy use should be compared to the number of heating degree days for the same time period; during the cooling season, compare your energy use to the number of cooling degree days. Heating and cooling…

Read More

When Is It Time To Replace

Certain telltale signs indicate it’s time to consider replacing heating and cooling equipment or improving the performance of your overall system. It may be time to call a professional contractor to help you make a change if: Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old. Consider replacing with ENERGY STAR qualified…

Read More

Use And Care Of Home Humidifiers

Introduction Humidifiers are commonly used in homes to relieve the physical discomforts of dry nose, throat, lips, and skin. The moisture they add to dry air also helps alleviate common nuisances brought on by winter heating, such as static electricity, peeling wallpaper, and cracks in paint and furniture. However, excess moisture can encourage the growth…

Read More

How BTUs and EERs Work

Most air conditioners have their capacity rated in BTUs, or British Thermal Units. A BTU is, generally, the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree F. Specifically, a BTU is 1,055 joules, but the first definition is easier to understand in real-life terms. One “ton”, in heating…

Read More

Lowering Home Heating Costs

Tips: Heating & Cooling Household Heating Systems: Although several different types of fuels are available to heat our homes, nearly half of us use natural gas. | Source: Buildings Energy Data Book 2011, 2.1.1 Residential Primary Energy Consumption, by Year and Fuel Type (Quadrillion Btu and Percent of Total). Heating and cooling your home uses…

Read More

Central Gas Furnace Terms and Definitions

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE): The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating, indicates how well a furnace converts energy into usable heat. The rating is expressed as a percentage of the annual output of heat (output rating in Btus — British thermal units, a measure of energy) to the annual energy input to the furnace…

Read More

Energy Efficiency Ratings and Terms

Efficiency Ratings The materials from which a building is constructed, as well as the systems and appliances installed there, can dramatically affect the amount of energy that a building will consume over its lifetime. To help customers compare the potential impact of one to another, efficiency ratings have been devised for many building components and…

Read More

Ductless Advantages and Disadvantages

Ductless, mini-split-system heat pumps (mini splits) make good retrofit add-ons to houses with “non-ducted” heating systems, such as hydronic (hot water heat), radiant panels, and space heaters (wood, kerosene, propane). They can also be a good choice for room additions, where extending or installing distribution ductwork is not feasible. Like standard air-source heat pumps, mini…

Read More

Heat Pump Efficiency Tips

Heat pumps are the most efficient form of electric heating in moderate climates, providing three times more heating than the equivalent amount of energy they consume in electricity. There are three types of heat pumps: air-to-air, water source, and ground source. They collect heat from the air, water, or ground outside your home and concentrate…

Read More