Our Newsletter - Metro Environmental News
Metro Environmental newsletters
Air Conditioning and Heating Cost Savings Tips That Save You Money
You bought a modern high-efficiency air conditioning system (hopefully Trane!) to provide comfort, reliability and, of course, to save on utility costs. You Mr. & Mrs. home owner can also play a big part in those monthly savings by paying attention to the following basics:
Check you filter monthly and replace if necessary.
If you have a Trane CleanEffects clean air system, look at the green light indicator on the door. If more than half the green bars are lit it might be a good time to remove the door, pull and clean the pre-filter, and, at least twice a year, pull the CleanEffects cells themselves and clean. If you need help with this, call us at 972-245-1158 for details and/or we can provide the service as part of a semi-annual maintenance agreement. Dirty filters cost you money by reducing the air flow which increases the system run time!
Program your thermostat to a reasonable temperature setting.
Every degree you raise your temperature setting above 78 degrees can save you as much as 10% on your monthly cooling costs during the summer. Because Trane’s high efficiency systems offer superior humidity removal, a higher temperature setting with reduced humidity will feel just as comfortable as a lower temperature, higher humidity setting. Also take the time to set up 7 day programming on you new thermostat that will automatically provide you savings when the house is not occupied. Your Trane installation technician should have set this up for you. If you have any questions about your thermostat please call us at 972-245-1158 for details.
Keep you outside condenser clean.
A dirty condenser coil on your new Trane outside unit will block air flow and increase operational costs as well as reduce performance. It is a good idea to set up a semi-annual preventative maintenance agreement that allows Metro Environmental to keep your new Trane system clean and in peak operating condition. Call 972-245-1158 for details.
Maintain an adequate insulation value in your attic.
R-49 is the recommended insulation value in your attic. This is approximately 16” of fiberglass insulation. Take a ruler and measure several places in your attic to get an average depth. If you are under insulated, call us at 972-245-1158 for an estimate to raise your insulation value. Low insulation values cause the a/c unit to run longer to maintain your comfort which costs you money!
Ventilate your attic.
In addition to insulation, it is a good idea to properly ventilate your attic to reduce high summer time attic temperatures which ultimately causes heat to enter you’re a/c system ductwork and infiltrate your home through your ceiling. Check you attic vents to see if they are operating properly. Non existing or faulty attic vents increase system run time, degrades system performance and cost you money!
Inspect you furnace before the heating season starts.
Just as in the air conditioning season, clean filters insure proper system performance and lower operational costs. A clean furnace is also a safe, efficient furnace!
Duct air leakage.
Did you know that the average duct system leaks up to 10% of your conditioned air into the attic? That leakage costs you money and downgrades system performance. If you are considering a new Trane system or if you have a new system but kept the original ductwork, it is always a good idea to have the duct inspected and sealed when leaks are encountered. If you have old metal duct which is wrapped with insulation or gray flexible duct that is beginning to fail, you should look at replacing it with high efficiency R-8 foil type flex duct.
Let us know if we can help!
Regards,
John A. Thomason
President,
Metro Environmental Services Co. Inc.
