What is the Best Thermostat Setting for Winter Weather?

Are your winter heating bills taking a toll on your finances? A simple thermostat adjustment could ease the strain. Is it possible to optimize the settings on your thermostat for both comfort and energy efficiency? We promise the two can coexist.

TIPS FOR OPTIMIZING YOUR THERMOSTAT SETTINGS FOR WINTER  

Heating and air conditioning professionals recommend a winter thermostat setting of 70 degrees when you are at home. At night, when you’re warm and cozy under the covers, you should lower it a few degrees more. Turning your thermostat setting down when you and your family are away from home also offers significant savings. If you’re the forgetful type, a smart programmable thermostat is an ideal way to manage both comfort and energy savings masterfully.

A SMART PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT IS THE IDEAL SOLUTION FOR WINTER HEATING WOES

With a smart programmable thermostat, you won’t feel like you’re constantly adjusting thermostat settings or have to leave yourself sticky note reminders by the bed or door-side to remember to change settings. You can choose from smart thermostat models that you set yourself, based on a schedule, or smart ‘learning’ models that adjust to your lifestyle, automatically altering settings based on your comfort preference or the proximity of your smartphone to home. Affordable and convenient, they offer the ideal solution for meeting your energy savings goals, helping you ensure a happy family and a healthy budget.

THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO UPGRADE TO A SMART THERMOSTAT NOW

Smart thermostats have been on the market several years, now offering more affordable pricing and stable technology with few models and software updates. Smart thermostat options exist starting at just $100, delivering a fast return on investment. Air conditioning companies report these convenient, money-saving devices provide energy savings of 20-30% on average – up to $180 per year.

Top smart thermostat models and their related apps work well with other home automation platforms and are easily integrated with Amazon Echo/Alexa, Apple Homekit, and Google Home technology. What’s more, many local utility companies are offering energy efficiency incentives toward smart thermostat upgrades, providing additional savings.

DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS AMAZING SMART THERMOSTAT TECH

• The Nest Thermostat E creates a schedule with no user programming required. Learning your preferences by observation, it’s ideal for those who fear programming digital tech.
• The Nest Smart Learning Thermostat offers all the benefits of the Nest Thermostat E, with broader system compatibility and more bells and whistles.
• The EcoBee 3 uses remote sensor technology, controlling the flow of conditioned air into unused spaces for precise, room-by-room temperature control.
• The Honeywell Lyric T5is budget-friendly, at just around $100, and feature-packed, allowing you to create a custom schedule and adjusting temperatures based on your smartphone location.

Stay toasty this winter without lighting your checkbook on fire. Talk to your HVAC installation service, selecting the best smart thermostat model for your home and family with the help of H & H Heating & Air Conditioning today.???????

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/what-is-the-best-thermostat-setting-for-winter-weather/

How to Reduce Flu/Colds

The winter cold and flu season is well underway. What home defenses have you set up to protect your family? While clearing clutter and vacuuming can make your home appear neat and tidy, cold and flu particles remain unseen, lingering in the air and on surfaces you and your family touch. How can you defend yourselves, reducing the prevalence of cold and flu particles in your home?

Reduce Viruses in Your Home with these Tips

While the flu shot is a great first line of defense, learning how to improve indoor air quality in your home is crucial to avoiding winter cold and flu bugs.

1. Keep humidity levels in check.
   More than your skin is affected by the dry climate of the winter months when humidity levels can plummet as low as 10%. At this time, people spend far more time indoors, and in this dry climate, particles remain airborne far longer than at moderate humidity levels. Studies show, by keeping your home in the optimal relative humidity range of 35-50% with the help of a whole house humidifier, you can reduce the incidence of cold and flu viruses lingering in the air by up to 30%. This is an easy way to thwart the spread of germs and other debris to hard surfaces throughout your home, such as countertops, furnishings, faucets, and door handles.
2. Outfit your HVAC with an air purifier.
   Though disinfecting the surfaces throughout your home can help you remove particulates on hard surfaces, it is essential to consider the air you and your family are breathing within your home. Incorporating a whole-house air purification system into your HVAC equipment ensures clean air throughout your home, providing fresh, clean air. Air purifiers circulate the air in your home several times per hour. The most effective systems include a HEPA home air filter. Doctors and allergists recommend these because they remove the smallest microbes from the air, including dust, pollen, mold, dander, and cold and flu viruses.
3.  Use UV light technology.
   The best indoor air quality systems for your heating system not only utilize HEPA filtration, but incorporate germicidal UV air purifier technology as well. How does UV light improve the air quality in your home? Exposure to UV light inactivates or kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
4. Regularly disinfect hard surfaces.
   Regularly disinfecting hard surfaces throughout your home remains one of the most effective methods of battling cold and flu within the home. In addition to the usual surfaces such as countertops and doorknobs, don’t forget high-touch items such as cell phones, tablets, and TV remotes. Remove germs with simple soap and water, or look for products labeled as effective against Influenza A.
5. Wash linens frequently.
   Viruses live longer on porous surfaces, so don’t neglect the regular washing of linens.
6. Ensure a healthy, happy home and family. Learn more about improving the indoor air quality in your home with the help of your local air conditioning company. Contact H & H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/how-to-reduce-flu-colds/

Is a heat pump a good choice for my home?

Air and ground source heat pumps continue to grow in popularity as local and state governments offer renewable energy tax credits and pass energy standards. Sales of air source heat pumps grew 14.8% in 2016, 19.% in 2017, and 9.1% in 2018. Ground source heat pump sales grew 37% from 2017-2018, with many homeowners taking advantage of reinstated federal tax credits for geothermal at this time for the chance to reap thousands in energy savings annually. Are you considering heat pump system savings?

DOING THE MATH

Heat pumps can be used for 100% of the heating and 100% of the cooling in single-family homes in many climates. Tremendous savings are possible with heat pump systems compared to oil or propane-powered heating units, which cost two-to-three times more to operate.

With a geothermal heat pump, substantial cost savings can be realized: $1,000-1,500 a year versus propane, enough to pay for the system many times over. Geothermal efficiency outshines electric resistance heat, which has a straight ratio of 1 coefficient of performance (COP). Geothermal offers a COP of 5, versus a COP of 3 for air-source models, making it five times more efficient than electric resistance heat. (The higher the COP, the lower the operating cost.)

Where natural gas is available and more affordable than electricity, calculating cost per Btu may be necessary. In these areas, dual fuel heat pumps are popular, offering the best of both performance and efficiency, salvaging air source heat in moderate temperatures, and providing efficient natural-gas-powered warmth when temperatures plummet below the point where heat pumps can maintain a comfortable climate in the home.

HEAT PUMP BEST PRACTICES

What is the ideal situation for a heat pump installation? Air source models work well in small homes with open floor plans, as well as in locations where a ground source installation simply isn’t possible due to soil conditions or a lack of space. Ductless systems, a form of air-source heat pump, offer superior efficiency. Ground source systems offer even greater savings, albeit at a higher initial investment cost.

TAKING CARBON FOOTPRINT & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT INTO ACCOUNT

Many municipalities and their residents want to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and prevent high energy bills. This is where heat pumps shine. Because heat pumps repurpose energy from the air or ground rather than creating new energy, they can provide both efficient heating as well as hot water without wasting energy.

This has led many city governments to decline investments in fossil fuel infrastructure in favor of installing geothermal heat pump systems. In efforts to curb environmental impact, some new developments are installing shared geothermal heat pumps, while in others, homeowners are joining together to purchase shared community systems for meeting heating and cooling needs.

Is a heat pump system for you? Let us help you do the math. Contact H & H Heating & Air Conditioning now for a competitive quote on today’s most popular heat pump systems.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/is-a-heat-pump-a-good-choice-for-my-home/

Stay Cozy & Save with these Winter Heating Tips

Though winter is a fun, festive time, bringing thoughts of cozy gatherings with friends and family, hot chocolate, and warm cookies, it also brings with it frigid temperatures, unbearable winds, and shockingly high energy bills. Fortunately, there are ways you can enjoy the things you love most about this season, staying warm and comfortable without going broke with these money-saving winter heating tips.

TAKE AN HONEST LOOK AT THE CONDITION OF YOUR SYSTEM

If your home heating system is more than 10 years old, your energy bills have suddenly spiked, and your home shows signs your system is not keeping the pace, such as grinding or rattling sounds during heater operation, hot and cold spots, or a failure to keep your home warm, it could be more cost-effective to replace it with a newer, more efficient model. There may be new options that better meet your needs, such as Mitsubishi ductless air conditioners and dual fuel technology, that could allow you to keep your home a more comfortable temperature at a far lower monthly cost, even when you factor in the expense of a new system.

SAFEGUARD INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Wondering how to improve indoor air quality? Regularly changing your home air filter not only safeguards your family against pollutants and indoor allergens like dust, dust mites, dander, mold spores, and pollen, it helps your system operate more efficiently, extending its lifespan and lowering your monthly heating bills. How often should you change your filter? Once every 3 months, at a minimum, and more often in homes with pets or under construction. Regular filter changes prevent a reduction in air quality and premature system wear due to a system that struggles to circulate air through a dirty air filter.

BOOST ENERGY SAVINGS AND COMFORT WITH SMART THERMOSTAT TECHNOLOGY

Smart learning thermostats adjust to your schedule, automatically lowering temperatures when you’re away. Enhanced energy-saving modes offer reductions in energy use by 10-20% with no sacrifices to comfort, providing a rapid return-on-investment.

DON’T SKIMP ON ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

Having your system professionally serviced in the fall, before severe winter weather takes hold (and again in the spring before summer heatwaves), ensures trouble-free operation and peak performance. It’s easy to overlook the importance of routine service when your system seems fine; however, its best to think of it as you would a routine checkup from your doctor. It’s always easier and less expensive to maintain health then react to serious health issues.

SUPPORT SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

Your local air conditioning company knows with proper insulation, secure weather stripping surrounding doors and windows, and caulking or foaming around plumbing fixtures, vents, and outlets, you can stop air leaks that severely hinder HVAC performance.

Don’t let winter heating costs bust your budget. Stay comfortable this winter and all year long with the help of H & H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/stay-cozy-save-with-these-winter-heating-tips/

Delaware County's Most Trusted: Partner with H&H Heating to Stay Warm this Winter

Who should you trust to help you uphold the value of the most expensive appliance in your home? H & H Heating & Air Conditioning offers has been providing trusted heating repair and maintenance services in Delaware, Chester, or Montgomery County for over 30 years, from Garnet Valley to Ardmore, Conshohocken, and beyond. Our Comfort Club Memberships offer incredible savings, not only in the winter but year-round.

OUR MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS OFFER MANY BENEFITS

Affordable and convenient, Comfort Club maintenance agreements give you the peace of mind knowing you will enjoy priority service, even on the coldest winter’s nights. We offer service for a variety of home heating solutions, including boilers, furnaces, heat pumps, and radiant heat systems.

Upon membership, you will enjoy not only priority service at your Newton Square or Media home but discounted diagnostics and 20% off necessary repairs – even if you sign up today! After six months of membership with Platinum plans, you can take advantage of complimentary tune-ups and diagnostics services, as well as free repairs, and exclusive deals and discounts on preferred services and products.

No matter what plan you choose, you’ll enjoy the benefits of lower energy costs thanks to your system running at peak efficiency. Regularly maintained heating systems use 10-25% less energy than neglected units and have far longer lifespans.

REST ASSURED WITH OUR TIME-TESTED, AFFORDABLE SERVICES

Whether your Chadds Fordor Villanova heating system requires maintenance, after-hours emergency repairs, or its time for a new home heating unit, you can count on a live person to take your calls around the clock. Our in-house team of certified, experienced technicians will make sure your family warm and safe all winter.

LOCAL, FAST AND DEPENDABLE REPAIRS

You can rest assured any maintenance issues on your Wayne or Malvern home will be addressed before your system suffers a breakdown. Should the unexpected occur, our fully-stocked vehicles ensure the rapid repair of your system, 24 hours night or day, and the quality of our maintenance work is guaranteed.

Stay warm and toasty this winter with the help of Delaware County’s most trusted HVAC services. Join your friends and neighbors, becoming part of the H & H Heating & Air Conditioning family. Contact us to learn more about the benefits and savings of Comfort Club maintenance agreements, or to sign up for priority repairs and deep discounts with a Silver a Platinum service plan today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/delaware-countys-most-trusted-partner-with-hh-heating-stay-warm-this-winter/