Remember to Winterize Your Home to Conserve Energy and Keep Warm

Not looking forward to your winter heating bills? Winterize your home for savings, staying warm and comfy through the cold weather season. With a little fall foresight, a bit of work, and a small investment in preventative maintenance, you can create a more hospitable home environment while dramatically reducing your winter energy costs.

How to Winterize Your Home & Save on Heating

• Change furnace filters regularly.
  Furnace filters don’t last forever. In fact, they should be changed every few months, at a minimum, and more often if you have pets, children, or your home is undergoing renovations. Dirty filters force your heater to work harder to distribute conditioned air throughout your home, restricting airflow, affecting the efficiency of your furnace, and driving up electricity costs. Fortunately, home air filters are inexpensive and easy to change.
• Seal leaks.
  The number of air leaks in the average home is roughly the equivalent of leaving a window open. A bit of caulk, spray foam, weather stripping, or even a rolled-up towel at the base of exterior doors can make a significant difference in the amount of time you’ll have to run your home heating system to stay comfortable when temperatures drop. Check for leaks, gaps, cracks, and holes surrounding doors and windows, electrical outlets, piping, and venting to prevent seepage, and you’ll save on heating and air costs all year long.
• Add storm doors and windows for extra protection.
  Storm doors and windows, designed to keep outside air out, also keep conditioned air inside your home, adding an extra layer of protection against air and thermal transfer through doors and windows. Many of today’s modern options are quite beautiful, adding to the curb appeal and value of your home.
• Adjust your thermostat settings.
  When you leave – don’t pay to heat an empty house. Lower the temperature to 55, saving energy while preventing frozen pipe snafus. This is easily accomplished with a programmable thermostat. Today’s smart learning thermostats do most of the work for you, adjusting settings to your schedule and preferences so your home is always comfortable. Models like the popular Nest learning thermostat cost little more than conventional thermostats, offering substantial savings up to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling costs annually, quickly paying for themselves.
• Take a close look at your water heater.
  Change the default setting on your water heater to 120 degrees and you’ll see a significant reduction in your monthly energy bill. Insulate water heaters in unconditioned spaces for additional savings.
• Give your heating system a little TLC.
  Prevent unexpected breakdowns in winter weather extremes with fall furnace maintenance. A well-tuned system can save you up to 5% on heating, lengthening the lifespan of your system, and bringing hidden problems to light before they require emergency repair.

Don’t let winter weather put a freeze on your finances. Prep your home for the cold weather season with the help of H & H Heating & Air Conditioning. Contact us to schedule pre-season preventative heating system maintenance today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/remember-to-winterize-your-home-to-conserve-energy-and-keep-warm/

Winters Can Worsen Indoor Air Quality in Our Homes. Here’s how to Improve it

The winter usually brings indoor air quality challenges. But this year, indoor air quality concerns are exacerbated by the threat of COVID-19. How can you keep your family safe and healthy within your home while the weather outside is cold and miserable?

7 Ways to Improve Air Quality in Your Home Over the Winter

• Filter out contaminants.
  Air filters are your first line of defense against airborne pollutants. Upgrade your air filter to newer HEPA filtration options to remove more contaminants, such as dust, pollen, dander, mold, mildew, viruses, and bacteria, trapping them before they can spread throughout your home.
• Step up your game with an air purifier.
  Whole-home air purifiers, which work in conjunction with your heating and cooling system to clean the air circulating throughout your entire home, can purify the air in your home several times per hour, capturing and/or killing airborne contaminants before they are spread through your home.
• Zap germs in the air and on surfaces.
  Tired of constantly cleaning high-touch surfaces? The Air Scrubber by Aurus can effectively remove up to 99% of microbes, particulates, and gases moving through your heating and cooling unit AND eliminate contaminants from surfaces. Learn more.
• Check your ducts.
  Like those high shelves you never bother to dust because you can’t see them, your ductwork can become coated with dust and airborne contaminants, spreading them throughout your home. If you can’t remember the last time you’ve had this service, have your ducts professionally inspected, cleaned, and sealed.
• Keep things clean – without the chemicals.
  Vacuum, mop, and wipe down surfaces regularly, avoiding synthetic chemicals and choosing natural, non-toxic cleaning products and air fresheners to prevent the buildup of toxic VOCs in your home.
• Increase ventilation.
  Because of  the COVID crisis, we all know the solution to pollution is dilution. But how do you freshen air when it’s freezing outdoors? Reduce your pollutants in your home with added ventilation. Talk to your HVAC professional about available options that bring fresh air into your home without impacting the temperature and comfort level in your home, such as energy recovery ventilators.
• Control humidity.
  Extremely dry winter air is bad for indoor air quality in your home. Without adequate moisture, contaminants remain airborne longer, spreading throughout your home. Dry skin and nasal passages can crack and bleed, increasing your likelihood of exposure to germs. Fortunately, these problems are easily solved with the addition of a whole-house dehumidification system. This affordable technology does all the work for your, monitoring humidity levels in your home and adding moisture when needed. Attached as part of your HVAC system, it can manage the humidity levels throughout your home.

Take control of your health this winter. Improve the indoor air quality in your home with the help of H & H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/winters-can-worsen-indoor-air-quality-in-our-homes-heres-how-to-improve-it/

This Winter Save Energy With these Easy HVAC Tips

Are you looking for ways to reduce your electricity bill this winter? All those extra energy dollars could go a long way to cushioning your holiday spending and reducing repair worries. Make the most of your money, ensuring a safe, comfortable winter with these tips for improving the efficiency of your HVAC system.

Get On Board With Fall Preventative Maintenance

Annual heating and air conditioning system maintenance improves the performance of your system, saving you up to 5% on energy costs. It can also uncover hidden problems with your HVAC, allowing you to address them before they snowball into larger repair bills or the need for emergency maintenance during weather extremes.

Let Go Of Your Ancient System

Systems over 10 years old are massive energy drains. While you might pale at the thought of replacing your decrepit unit, however, you may be surprised to find out you can recoup your money quite quickly in energy savings. Today’s high-efficiency Energy Star heating and cooling systems can reduce your energy costs up to 40% while providing a much more reliably comfortable home.

Upgrade To A Programmable Thermostat

Adjust your thermostat settings by the season. That 78-degree summer setting could cost you a pretty penny in the winter. For every degree your change your thermostat setting, you could save up to 3%. Nest learning thermostats precisely control your indoor air temperature, monitoring when you and your family are away from home. They are an easy way to avoid spending money to heat your home when it’s empty while ensuring you return to comfort.

Keep Those Filters Clean

Dirty filters force your system to work harder to move air. Regularly replacing home air filters every 1-3 months is a cheap and easy way to give your system a performance boost.

Assess The Condition Of Registers & Vents

Clean dirt and debris off registers and vents to facilitate the smooth flow of clean air. Clear away drapes, rugs, and furniture, keeping all free of obstructions.

Eliminate Drafts

Check every room of your home for air leaks. Block cracks under doorways, install weather stripping around doorways and windows, and caulk or spray foam around plumbing, vents, and outlets to reduce air infiltration/exfiltration.

Add A Little Insulation

Improving the insulation in your home is one of the easiest ways to lighten the load your heating and air conditioning system carries, reducing air infiltration and heat transfer.

Take control of your energy expenses, committing to the long-term performance of your HVAC system and home with a proactive maintenance plan. Contact H & H Heating & Air Conditioning to learn about the benefits of our affordable Comfort Club Memberships today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/this-winter-save-energy-with-these-easy-hvac-tips/

All About Ductless Mini Split Heat Pumps

Are you looking for a more efficient heating and cooling system? HVAC systems being your biggest energy expense, ductless systems offer significant opportunities for savings. These heat pump style systems offer some of the highest SEER ratings in the industry. Boasting ratings of up to 30 SEER, they can shave 30-40% or more off of your annual energy costs compared to traditional, forced air systems. They are the solution of choice for newly constructed homes, as well as small, older homes with no existing ductwork currently relying on a radiator or baseboard heating.

Ductless Units Can Heat & Cool Your Home

Ductless mini-split heat pumps, such as those by industry leader Mitsubishi, work by transferring heat. In the winter, they move heat from the outdoors into your home, and vice versa in the summer, by reversing the flow of refrigerant. Ductless systems featuring the latest heating technology offer reliable performance, even when it’s below freezing outside. This multifunctional operation means you can achieve all your home comfort needs, reliably, with a single system.

Ductless Systems Are Simple To Install

Mini-split systems consist of one outdoor unit and one (or more) indoor units. Each component takes up far less space than traditional forced-air systems. This is where the name “mini-split” comes from. No boxy ducting is needed. Instead, only small, 3-inch holes are necessary to accommodate refrigerant lines running between interior and exterior components. Lack of ducting means improved efficiency and no heat loss, as well as whisper quiet operation. Refrigerant lines facilitate heating and cooling performance, and the indoor units distribute air, offering substantial energy savings and superior performance.

Mini Split Systems Offer Zoned Based Heating & Cooling For Enhanced Savings

Ductless systems can accommodate up to eight indoor air handling units for each outdoor unit. This can allow you to create zones in your home, varying temperature settings separately by location and use. Purchasing two outdoor units for larger homes can offer significant savings, providing a green, low carbon, year-round home comfort solution.

The More Efficient Your Home, The More Substantial The Savings

While ductless systems offer superior performance and energy savings compared to ducted systems, in order to maximize savings, efficient home design is essential. Adequately insulating your home and addressing air leaks around windows, doors, plumbing, electrical, and venting, prevents the energy savings from ductless systems from seeping out of your house. Fortunately, there are many available state and local energy efficiency upgrade incentives, including those from your utility provider, to help you improve the performance of your home’s building envelope.

Wondering if a ductless mini-split heat pump might be a good fit for your home? Schedule an appointment with the home comfort experts at H & H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/all-about-ductless-mini-split-heat-pumps/