Keeping You Warm While Saving Money

If you’ve been outside lately then you’ve probably noticed a chilling trend – it’s cold! With the season just getting started, the freezing temps and dreary weather is here to stay. We know that many of our customers delay turning on their heating unit until the last minute possible. But staying warm over the next few months doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some heat and energy saving tips that will warm your heart, your home, and your budget.

1. Keep It Clean. While this may seem like an obvious chore, according to our technicians most residential air filters are not being changed nearly enough. In a home with pets we recommend changing them at least once a month since excessive dirt and pet hair accumulate quicker. Normal filters should be changed at least every two to three months. Having a clean filter allows air to flow through easier, therefore making your unit work less.
2. Let The Air Flow. It may seem counterintuitive, but make sure your air vents are open and uncovered to best utilize your HVAC unit. The added pressure caused by closed vents can actually make your unit to break down or cause a leak or tear in your air duct. Do a quick walk through of your home and make sure your furniture, piles of laundry, or kid’s toys aren’t covering those vents in the corner.
3. Hands Off! Another common misconception is that lowering and raising your thermostat throughout the day will actually help reduce energy usage. Keeping your home cooler will keep your unit from running as much , but constantly changing the temperature can actually cause havoc to your unit.
4. Get Rid of Cold Air. Adding weather stripping to any door or window can help keep the warm air in and reduce the amount of cold air getting in on those blustery winter days. According to the Department of Energy if you can close your window or door on a dollar bill and easily pull it through then you’re losing energy. Along with weather stripping, heavy insulated curtains can also be added to keep the cold air at bay.
5. Heat What Matters. When you’re heating your home, you want to make sure the heat is keeping YOU warm, and isn’t just hovering up the ceiling. That might be welcome in the summer months, but in the winter, you want the heat redirected to you! You can accomplish this by simply rotating your ceiling fans to blow down.
6. Seal It Up. Winter and summer, the air ducts under your house work hard to keep the air flowing from your HVAC unit to the inside of your home. Often times it takes a problem to realize that there is a leak or tear in your air duct. Larger tears can be visibly seen however smaller, slower rips or tears may take a licensed professional to uncover. These leaks, big and small, can normally be fixed by having your air ducts sealed.  Preventative measures can often fix smaller tears before they become bigger issues, which leads us to one of our biggest money saving tips…maintenance agreements.
7. Prevent Costly Repairs. At Thornton’s we offer pre-paid maintenance agreements which provide you with a complete HVAC inspection twice a year – in the fall and again in the spring. During these inspections, our technicians cover an extensive list of HVAC services which can keep you from having unnecessary costly repairs year round. And, if something unexpected does pop up during the year, these agreements provide a discount on these unplanned repairs.

So, don’t freeze this winter when you could be warm and cozy, and save money at the same time! As always, call your trusted source for heating & air conditioning. For over 40 years, Thornton’s Heating & Air has helped to keep you warm all season long.