Cooling Season

• Get on an annual service plan. This will increase efficiency of your system, prevent breakdowns, and prolong system life.

• Change your air filter once every month or so for optimum efficiency, performance and indoor air quality.

• Use your ceiling fans keep cool. Make sure the fan is in the “forward” position, and the blades are rotating counter-clockwise.

• Keep indoor temperatures lower by closing blinds and window coverings to prevent solar gain.

• Keep the thermostat(s) at a constant temperature between 78-80 degrees F and don’t touch it. Raising and lowering temperatures ofter will ruin the natural function of the unit and lead to increased cooling costs.

• Don’t allow the indoor air temperature get too hot, because the air conditioner/heat pump will have to work extremely hard to lower the temperature.

• Make sure your system is sized properly. Too big the unit will cut on and cut off more often. Too small the unit will run constantly and never satisfy.

• Plant Trees and Shrubs nearby to give your home shade. This can lead to a 10% boost in efficiency.

• Make sure there is no debris, lawn clippings, soil, or other items stuck in your outdoor unit's coil or fan.

• Set Air vents on second floors to receive 75% of the air conditioning. Cold air will naturally sink, so this will help cool the entire house more efficiently, getting double use for the cold air.

• Flip the fan switch on your thermostat to “fan auto” mode.

• Install an Attic Fan to keep the attic ventilated. Attics can get up to 140-150 degrees and really make your system work extra hard to keep the home cool. This is a simple way to reduce the load of your home. Solar versions are also recommended, as they do not require electrical work to install.

• Make sure air vents and ducts are clear and unobstructed. If the returns are covered, the air can not circulate into the air handler and return air to the home.

• Keep the doors closed to the upstairs during the day to keep some of the warm air down and allow the air conditioner/heat pump to run and keep the downstairs comfortable. Often homes without a zone system suffer.

• Keep the windows and doors closed when the Air Conditioner is running.

Heating Season

• Have your heating system serviced before the real heating season starts. This will ensure it it's operating at its peak efficiency, prevent breakdowns during the dead of winter, and prolong your system's lifespan.

• Change your filters once every month or so for optimum efficiency, performance and indoor air quality.

• Keep the thermostat(s) at a constant temperature between 68-70 degrees. This will increase the overall costs of heating, and make the system cycle on and off.

• Set the thermostat to “fan auto” mode.

• Open the curtains and shades on windows during the day to allow for maximum solar gain. The sun will naturally heat up the inside of your house, and store some of that energy to be released throughout the day. This can easily reduce your heating load.

• Close curtains and window coverings at night to prevent heat from escaping so rapidly.

• Consider upgrading your old heating system to a newer, more efficient one for maximum energy savings.

• Make sure vents and air ducts are unblocked, so the warm air can properly circulate through the house.

• Keep windows and doors closed to prevent heat from escaping.

• Consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust heating settings throughout the day, for maximum energy efficiency.

• Install weather stripping and other weatherizing fixes to make your home more heat-tight. This can easily save you 10% per year on heating and cooling.