What is the Best Way to Make Energy Savings in the Home?

Heating a home during the winter months can often be a compromise between home comfort and energy costs. While no one can afford to throw money away these days, there's little worse than being cold in your own home. Although one solution is simply to wear more layers of clothing, or to wear warmer clothing this doesn't exactly increase the feeling of being warm and cozy. The answer may lie in investing a little bit of money on upgrades to your home heating system. These don't necessarily have to cost a fortune, unless of course you're really in need of a new boiler or heat pump.

Changing Air Filters to Help Improve Home Comfort

Provided your boiler is in relatively good condition, there may be a number of things you can do to help improve its efficiency. During the winter it's especially important to make sure you are changing air filters at the recommended intervals. The reason for this is because your heating system is likely to be on for a substantial amount of time, and if it's constantly drawing air through dirty filters then it will be less efficient. In addition your system will have to work harder, increasing energy costs and decreasing the lifespan of your equipment. Regularly changing air filters is such an easy thing to do but is something that many people overlook. If you find you forget to do this essential task then think about setting up a system to remind yourself. This might mean entering it into your calendar on your computer, so hopefully it alerts you whenever the air filters are due to be changed. Otherwise you could simply try writing it on any calendar you might have in the home, or in your diary.

Upgrading Your Thermostat

Another way to improve energy savings during the winter months is to fit a programmable thermostat. This can be especially efficient if you're out of the house during the day and don't require your home to be at the same temperature all the time. Programmable thermostats can be pretty sophisticated, especially if you have a fairly regular routine. They can be set to take into account your regular working hours, and also other times when you're out of the house, for instance when you meet up with friends or play sports. There's little point in heating the home when you're away from it, but a programmable thermostat means you'll never come home to a cold house. It's a great way to make energy savings without reducing your level of comfort.

Getting Your System Serviced

You're generally recommended to get your heating and cooling system serviced during the fall to make sure it doesn't break down during the colder winter months when you need it most, but if you didn't get round to it this year then it's certainly not too late to get it done now. A heating and cooling system that is well maintained will run far more efficiently and will help you get the most out of your system. Sticking to your manufacturer required maintenance schedule will help ensure that it lasts longer and will greatly lessen the chances of you having uncomfortable home during those cold or hot days.

Are Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems Efficient During Winter?

The interest in geothermal heating and cooling systems is growing, as people are increasingly looking for ways of achieving energy savings on their heating and cooling bills. However many people are still unsure of exactly what a geothermal heating and cooling system is, how it works, and its efficiency during the winter months. The truth is it can be extremely effective during the colder winter months, and when you think about how it works this makes perfect sense. These types of heat pumps are designed to extract stored energy from the earth, and as this is where most of the solar energy is conserved it makes them extremely efficient. The Earth's temperature remains relatively constant so this type of system is perfectly able to extract sufficient heat during the winter.

What Makes Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems so Effective?

These types of systems have either a closed or open loop to extract heat from the Earth. They can be installed in a number of different ways to suit your situation, and to make the most of the location and soil and rock type at the installation site. These types of heating systems can be installed just about anywhere as they can be placed under the yard, under driveways, or even under the actual house. If they're being added to a house that is already built then it may be possible to use some of the ductwork already in place. Most people choose a closed loop that circulates antifreeze or water through pipes buried underground. In the winter, heat is collected in the fluid and carried through the system into the house. In the summer the process is reversed. 

Geothermal Heat is Efficient, Safe and Saves Money

The system can produce heat and hot water, and could reduce your hot water bill during the winter months through its ability to preheat the water tank. The system is very low maintenance and could actually reduce the energy consumption of an average home. Another advantage of this system is that it is extremely safe as there's no exposed equipment outdoors, and no need for dangerous fuel storage tanks, open flame or any kind of flammable fuel. Although the initial cost of installation may seem higher than other more conventional systems, the average householder should recoup the cost within just a few years through energy savings and reduced maintenance costs.

The Environmentally Friendly Way to Heat a Home in Winter

There is little doubt that this system is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to heat a home during winter without sacrificing home comfort. It could be far more efficient than other systems, and will save money in both operating and maintenance costs. You may even find it possible to claim a rebate when fitting a geothermal heating and cooling system, and some manufacturers offer special finance deals. If you are considering a new home heating system it is well worth asking your installer for advice as to whether this would be suitable for your house. Of course one of the nicest things about this system is that warm feeling you get from knowing you are doing something to cut emissions and to conserve other non-renewable fuels.

Can Programmable Thermostats Really Help With Energy Efficiency?

These days everybody is interested in heating and cooling their homes in the most energy efficient way possible. While it's obviously important to have an efficient heating and cooling system, and to make sure the manufacturer requires maintenance schedules are kept up-to-date, it can also be beneficial to make small changes to a system such as installing a programmable thermostat. This is a thermostat that is able to be preprogrammed so it can turn on and off at certain times during the day. It allows the house to cool down at times when it's really not necessary for it to be warm and comfortable, for instance when everybody is at work or at school, or out enjoying hobbies. It can also be programmed to turn off the heating when everybody has gone to bed, before turning it back on in the morning before everybody gets up. Allowing the temperature to drop naturally overnight can also be beneficial for sleeping, as most people sleep more deeply when a room is cooler. Another advantage of keeping the home cooler overnight is that the temperature difference between the inside and outside will be less, reducing the energy loss. 

Sophisticated Modern Programmable Thermostats Are Very Versatile

Modern programmable thermostats are really quite sophisticated and can be hugely versatile. They can allow several different temperature settings throughout the day, so each period of heating can be programmed to the temperature most appropriate at that time, as for instance it may be preferable to have it a little cooler in the mornings, and much nicer to have it warmer in the evenings when everybody is sitting down and not moving around very much. Some may have a separate weekday and weekend schedule, while others will have separate settings for every single day of the week. 

Extra Features Often Found on Programmable Thermostats

Certain models will include separate programs for heating a home during winter and cooling it during the summer, and may even allow the air blower to be turned on for extra circulation even when the system isn't actually operational. This can be very useful if hot air in the home has risen and separated from the cooler air in the lower part of the home. Another useful function is that many of the most modern programmable digital thermostats also have a built-in air filter change reminder. Lots of homeowners frequently forget to change the air filters as often as they should, preventing the system from working as effectively and efficiently as possible.

The Most Complicated Thermostats Work Hard to Keep Your Home Cozy

The more complicated programmable thermostats are able to actually calculate when a home heating system needs to come on to reach the programmed temperature at a particular time. This means if it has got particularly cold overnight then the thermostats will tell the heating system to come on a little earlier to make sure the correct temperature is reached by the time everyone wants to get up. These types of programmable thermostats make sure the temperature is kept completely stable, increasing the home comfort levels.