What Can I Do to Lower My Energy Bills in the Bay Area?
The best place to start saving money is right inside your home. The Department of Energy estimates the cost of heating and cooling your home to make up 48% of your utility bill. You’ll be happy to hear that saving money on your energy bills won’t take up a lot of time or money. The first step on your money saving journey is scheduling your routine furnace service. The team at Contra Costa Heating & AC in the Bay Area has put together a few tips that will help you keep down the cost of heating and cooling your home.
Program Your Programmable Thermostat
Technology is progressing faster than ever and the technology found in your thermostat is no exception. Our iComfort S30 utilizes the GPS from your smartphone and observes when you have left and adjusts itself to not waste energy while you aren’t home which can potentially save money. It not only knows when you’ve left, it also knows when you will return and learns your routine and adjusts itself accordingly.
Studies done by the Department of Energy have concluded that having a well programmed, or smart thermostat, can save you on cooling costs. While still staying comfortable, set the thermostat as low as you can during the winter months and as high as you can during the summer. It’s easier for your body to make those adjustments if you change the temperature a degree a day. We offer several different thermostat options and we can help you pick out the one that will work best with your schedule.
If you have an ever-changing schedule, you’ll want to go with the 7-day model. This thermostat option allows you to set different temperature periods on the weekends and keep a regular schedule on weekdays.
Selecting and Maintaining Your System
If you feel you’re nearing the time where your system will need to be replaced, look into your options so you’re able to make a knowledgable decision when that day arrives. Some things you’ll want to look into are the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of air conditioners and the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) of furnaces. The higher the rating, the greater the chance to save money.
Whether you’re ready for a new system or just wanting to maximize the efficiency of your existing system, the team at Contra Costa Heating & AC in the Bay Area can help you out every step of the way. If you need to schedule service or have any questions give us a call at 510-343-9841.