Energy Saving Tips

Windows

Do you know that up to 25% of your heat can go out the window?

Here's what you can do:

Insulation

Are you aware that an uninsulated attic can raise your heating and cooling costs?

Here's what you can do:

Lighting

Did you know that compact flourescent light bulbs use one-fourth the wattage and provide the same amount of soft light as incandescent bulbs?

Here's what you can do:

Appliances

Do you know that the biggest user of enery on the home is your heating and cooling system?

To conserve energy and cut down on energy waste here's what you can do:

Central Air Conditioner efficiency is measured by the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER the more efficient the unit. Units with a SEER of 12 or above are considered high-efficiency; 17 is the highest available.

Furnace efficiency is measured by the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. The colder the climate and the higher the local utility rates, the higher the AFUE you should get. Furnaces with AFUE ratings of 90% percent and above are considered high-efficiency; 96.6% is the highest available.

Heat pump cooling efficiency is measured by a SEER rating; a heat pump's heating efficiency is measured as the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF). A heat pump with a SEER of 12 or higher and an HSPF of at least 8 is considered high-efficiency.

Room Air Conditioner efficiency is measured by the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER), which is the BTU/hr output divided by the watts of electricity the unit uses. It basically tells you how much heat you get out of the unit compared to how much electricity you put into it. The higher the EER, the less the electricity the air conditioner will use.

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