Energy Savings

Energy Savings

Keep Cool While Saving Energy

Summer is a joyful season, isn’t it?. Lots of fun outdoors, bright sunshine and that lovely warmth upon your newly tanned skin. However, now that we are rolling into August the heatwaves might feel like less of a fun novelty and more of a sweat-induced groan with a large helping of frustration from the hits you’re wallet is taking from your monthly energy bill. Yet, the temperatures continue to rise and keeping cool remains critical. At Luxury Heating and Air Conditioning, we feel your pain and have put together a list of tips to help you stay cool and save money.

Here are a few basic (and free!) strategies to consider in an effort to keep cool.

  • Close blinds during the daylight hours to keep the suns rays from heating your home
  • Always keep your doors to the outside closed and that beautiful AC air indoors! Your AC is working hard enough, don’t work against it.
  • Unplug unused appliances and keep lights off in room your not using
  • Skip the dishwasher and clothes dryer, air dry items instead.
  • Set your thermostat to 78 on extra hot days to avoid an overwhelmed AC system.
  • Cook meals in a smaller air fryer, the microwave or the grill to keep the oven from heating your house and putting more of a strain on your system.

The points on this next list all come with a price tag, but we think these investments are worth your consideration. 

  • Add insulation, it will help keep the cool air in in the summer and the warm air in in the winter. 
  • Install weather stripping if you have an older home or feel a draft beneath doors and windows. Air leakage will make your system work harder. 
  • Install awnings or plant shady trees to cover the south and east windows of your home, shadowed areas are several degrees cooler than those with direct sunlight and the sun’s rays will make your home feel very warm.
  • Install ceiling fans where in rooms where there aren’t any, this takes a lot of pressure off your AC unit and will even help in colder months too if you reverse the direction. 
  • If you are due for a new system consider one with an ENERGY STAR rating. Most appliances come with an energy-efficient option and can anywhere from 10%-50% of the energy required and thus, save you money.
  • A properly maintained unit will run more efficiently saving energy and saving you money in the long run. Schedule routine maintenance with your contractor to keep things running smoothly.  

So, before you start dreaming of “sweater weather” and the pumpkin lattes of fall, enjoy the remainder of summer’s sunshine without breaking the bank on energy bills. Keeping cool is the priority, but maybe with these tips you can be kind to your wallet and the earth. Call Luxury Heating and Air Conditioning to schedule maintenance or ask about energy saving appliances and whether they are right for your home and budget.

Energy Savings, Heating, HVAC Maintenance, Indoor Air Quality

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Days are getting shorter and nights are getting colder, which means fall is officially here. Get your home winter-ready while putting your mind at ease with our maintenance checklist.

Clean Gutters

Make sure your gutters are clear of any leaves, sticks and other debris.

Weather-Stripping

Drafty windows and doors can account for as much as 10% of your heating bills.  Weather-stripping is an easy and affordable way to make your home more comfortable and efficient.

Turn Off & Drain Outdoor Plumbing

Don’t forget to detach garden hoses, turn off water supply, as well as drain outdoor faucets and sprinkler systems.

Change Filter

Changing your furnace filter every 3 months, not only improves your indoor air quality, but also helps to reduce your home’s energy expenses and prolongs the life of your HVAC system.

Prepare Your Furnace for Winter

Reduce the likelihood of expected heating breakdowns and repairs by having your furnace cleaned and inspected yearly.  Annual maintenance also helps to maximize the performance and efficiency of your system.

Clean the Fireplace and Chimney

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, make sure you have it cleaned and inspected before use.

Take Safety Precautions

The batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors should be replaced every 6 months.  Also keep in mind that the average life expectancy of a smoke alarm is 8-10 years and 5 years for CO detectors.

Trusted for over 70 years, Luxury Heating Company is your one-stop shop for all of your indoor comfort needs.

Air Conditioning, Ductless Split Systems, Energy Savings, Heating, Humidity, Indoor Air Quality

6 Reasons Modern Homeowners Are Choosing Ductless Air Conditioning

A traditional air conditioning system is comprised of two components, an air conditioner or heat pump that is located outdoors and a heating source such as a furnace that is located indoors. The two units work in tandem to circulate cool air through your ductwork, distributing it to every room in your home.

The question is, what if you don’t have ductwork?   What if you have ductwork but want to renovate or build an addition and there’s no practical way to connect to it?  A ductless split system is the perfect solution.

Ductless split systems, also referred to as ductless mini splits, differ slightly from more traditional systems in that they don’t have a centralized indoor unit. Depending on the size of the space you are cooling (or heating), a single outdoor unit can connect to up to 6 indoor units.  Each indoor unit tasked with heating and/or cooling a single room or zone of your home. This modernized, cutting-edge technology makes conditioning even the most complex spaces – easy, minimally-invasive and cost-effective. Find out why more homeowners are choosing ductless air conditioning systems below.

Minimally Invasive

No major construction, extensive remodeling or loss of space – a mini split system only requires a small hole that drilled through the wall.  Your home’s architectural value remains in-tact, making them the perfect solution for any application including historical homes that lose their value with major alterations.

Energy Efficient

Save up to 40% on your energy costs.  Ductless split systems use what’s called inverter technology to increase and decrease cooling demand with precision. Because the demand is matched so closely with the systems output, it can operate with the ultimate in energy efficiency while delivering the ultimate level of comfort.

Ultra-Quiet

Ductless split systems might be powerful, but with their whisper quiet performance, you won’t even know they are there.

Cool in the Summer & Heat in the Winter

Double the power, double the comfort. Not only do ductless split systems provide exceptional cooling during the summer, but they also provide a reliable and efficient source of heat during the winter.  Their ability to provide year-round comfort make them a great fit for additions and renovations, all-season rooms, basements and more!

Tailored Comfort

Why heat or cool a room when it’s not being used? Why bundle up in the winter or shed layers in the summer if you don’t have to? Ductless split systems focus on heating or cooling spaces individually, allowing for an unprecedented level of comfort customizable to meet the needs of everyone in your home.

Enhanced Air Filtration

Ductless air conditioning systems contain washable filters that can last up to 10 years.  They enhance your home’s air quality by removing contaminants such as pollen, dust, dander and other allergens.

Air Conditioning, Energy Savings, HVAC Maintenance

Easy Spring Energy Saving Tips

If you’re like most homeowners, you’re probably always looking for ways to reduce your monthly expenses.  Especially when it feels like the cost of services is constantly on the rise.  The cable bill that was once $59 is now $159, same goes for your utilities and many other expenses.  Reducing your energy consumption in the spring is easier than you think.  The experts at Luxury Heating Co. have put together 10 easy spring energy saving tips to help you stop wasting and start saving!

  1. Open your windows – Why run the air conditioner when you can take advantage of natural ventilation?  Often times, opening windows can create a cross breeze effect that flows naturally throughout your home to keep you cool and comfortable.  During warmer temperatures you can open your windows in the evening taking advantage of cooler overnight temperatures, then close your windows in the morning to keep in the cool and keep out the warmth.
  2. Run your ceiling fans – In case you didn’t know, most ceiling fans have two modes, forward and reverse. In the spring / summer, you can set the fan’s circulation mode to forward (counter-clockwise motion) for a wind-chill cooling effect.  In the winter set your fan’s circulation mode to reverse (clockwise motion), at a low speed, producing an updraft that gently pushes warm air that naturally rises to the ceiling back down into occupied space.
  3. Caulk air leaks – Did you know you can cut your energy costs by up to 30% just by sealing cracks and openings in your home?  Air leakage causes cool air to escape and hot air to penetrate. If you uncover sources of air leakage, you can seal the openings with a clear or paintable caulk.
  4. Install or adjust your window treatments – On hot days, you can reduce your home’s solar heat gain, by closing your blinds. When the sunlight shines in,  it’s indirectly heating the interior of your home, causing your air conditioner to work harder and longer to cool your space.
  5. Choose energy-saving lighting – using ENERGY STAR certified products can save the average home nearly $750 over the lifetime of the product.
  6. Reduce energy for water heating – Some water heater manufacturers recommend keeping your water heater set at 140˚F, by lowering this temperature to 120˚F, you can save up to 10% on your annual water heating costs.
  7. Cook outside – Most people don’t need an excuse to be outside when the weather is nice.  But cooking outside can have more benefits than just great food.  It can also prevent your stovetop or oven from making your indoor space warmer than it should be.
  8. Install a programmable or smart wi-fi thermostat – Utilizing the scheduling and advanced programming features on your thermostat can help you save up to 15% per year on heating & cooling costs.
  9. Replace the air filter in your furnace – Dirty air filters can restrict an HVAC system’s air flow, making it work harder and less efficiently to distribute tempered air throughout your home. Replacing your filter once every few months will not only help your system operate more efficiently, but it will lower your HVAC’s energy consumption by up to 15%.
  10. HVAC maintenance – spring is the best time to have an HVAC professional perform a maintenance check on your air conditioner. Yearly cooling inspections help your air conditioning system to operate more efficiently and effectively as well as prevent against unexpected costly breakdowns.