September 2, 2010
Today it’s so easy to spend more money than necessary when keeping your home comfortable. While there are many things you can do to save money on your energy costs, calling on Pippin Brothers can help you see significant savings, increased comfort and reliability.
Increase Efficiency, Reduce Your Energy Bills
Regular Maintenance. If you own a vehicle, you know that for it to run reliably it needs regular oil and filter changes, tire rotations and more. What many people don’t realize is that like your car, you’re HVAC system needs the same kind of regular care to keep it running smoothly. When your heating or air conditioning units are not regularly maintained, they often end up working harder than necessary to heat or cool your home, which ends up costing you in higher energy bills. Pippin Brothers offers full maintenance services to help you keep your units in top shape, increasing the life of the unit, and it’s level of performance.
Full Point Plumbing Inspection. Scheduling a full point plumbing inspection can help you by identifying leaks, inefficiencies or weaknesses in your piping or fixtures that might be causing you to waste water and drive up utilities. This vital service can also spot and prevent other potential untimely and costly problems.
Switch to a Tankless Water Heater. Tankless water heaters can be a great way to save money in your home. Unlike their traditional counterparts, tankless water heaters heat water only when a demand is placed on the unit. Just as the name suggests, there is no tank of water that must continually be kept at a ready-to-use temperature. The benefits you experience from tankless waters, in contrast to the traditional variety, can vary on your water-use habits and lifestyle. If you’re unsure if this variety is right for you, any Pippin Brothers team member can work with you to make the right choice for your home.
Service Your Traditional Water Heater. If you choose not to have the full point plumbing inspection, which includes checking your traditional water heater, it’s a good idea to at least make this part of your annual home maintenance checklist. Traditional water heaters need to be inspected for sediment build-up, faulty connections, proper pressure and venting. These inconsistencies can cause the unit to work harder than necessary to keep your water hot, and they can pose a serious risk to your safety.
Have Your Air Ducts Inspected. The duct system inside your home is a crucial element in the performance of your HVAC system. Responsible for distributing heated or cooled air throughout your home, the smallest leak can result in a significant amount of energy loss. Any time this happens, your heating or air conditioning unit must work that much harder to make up for the loss, resulting in higher costs for you. A thorough inspection of your ductwork will identify any leaks and weaknesses, and help you save a great deal of money.
Have your Air Ducts Cleaned. If you have never had your air ducts cleaned, recently moved into a new home, Pippin Brothers recommend having your ductwork cleaned. Dust, particulates, and other debris can clog your system’s air filters, which can place additional strain on your heating or cooling unit. Clean ductwork and filtration makes for a more efficiently running HVAC system and lower energy costs for you.
Schedule an Airflow Analysis. If you find you and your home suffer from any of the following symptoms, you might benefit from an airflow analysis. It’s likely that there is an imbalance in your airflow, and your HVAC units are working overtime to counteract that imbalance. Improving your airflow improves your efficiency, indoor air quality, saves energy, lowers your energy bills and improves your overall level of comfort.
- Thermostat wars with your spouse/kids
- Rooms that get too hot or too cold
- Uneven temperatures in each room
- High utility bills & Poor energy efficiency
- High humidity in summer
- House just never seems comfortable
- There doesn’t seems to be enough airflow
- Noisy equipment or airflow noise
- Poor air quality
- Dust buildup within 2 days of dusting
- Problems with your comfort system since it was installed or you moved in
- Anyone with allergies or asthma
- AC starts and stops frequently or runs all the time, and house is still not cool
- Poor temperature control
- Have been told by other contractors that the comfort and indoor air quality problems as well as high utility bills in peak season cannot be fixed
According to the National Comfort Institute, the average duct system in the U.S. is only 57% efficient due to leakage and inadequate return air. It takes a certified specialist to pinpoint and correct these problems, but in many cases you don’t even have to replace your equipment and the solution is usually quicker, easier and costs a lot less than you may think.
Purchase a Programmable Thermostat. Programmable thermostats are one of the easiest and quickest ways to save money on energy costs in your home. Allowing you to set heating or cooling schedules based on when you’re home, sleeping, or requiring automated comfort control, programmable thermostats help regulate the temperature inside your home without making your HVAC units operate more than necessary.
Regulate Humidity. The level of humidity in the air can have a significant impact on your comfort. Using a dehumidifier or humidifier can help to regulate the humidity levels inside your home and help make the work of your heater or air conditioner a little easier.
Install a Power Attic Ventilator. Most people know that hot air rises. Especially in the summer months, your attic can get very hot, and that excess heat can cause additional strain on your air conditioner. Power attic ventilators help remove the hot air from your attic and replace it with cooler air, making your air conditioner run more efficiently and saving you money.
Upgrade the Amount of Insulation in Your Attic. The U.S. Department of Energy has established minimum recommended insulation R-values (thermal resistance) for 8 distinct parts of the country, or insulation climate zones. Studies indicate that most homes are under insulated. Adding attic insulation is the quickest, easiest, and most cost-efficient way to keep your home warm and cozy on the coldest of winter nights and cool on the hottest of summer days to enhance your home’s comfort and lower your energy bills and conserve the environment’s natural resources while minimizing your home’s carbon footprint. Schedule a FREE Home Insulation Assessment and our insulation experts will save you the energy of having to figure it out. We will provide you with the right solutions and the right products to help save you money.
Are you interested in one of these services? Do you have questions about how Pippin Brothers can help you save on energy costs? Contact us today to learn more.
