Good Investments in Energy Savings to Consider

Consider installing a whole-house evaporative cooler if you live in a dry climate. An evaporative cooler uses as much as 75% less electricity as an air conditioner, saving approximately $150 a year. For hotter desert climates, the savings can be much more.

Fireplace inserts or wood stoves are available to fit into an existing fireplace. These inserts are equipped with glass or metal doors, outside combustion air vents, and heat circulation blowers. Fireplace inserts dramatically improve fireplace efficiency by blowing heat from the fire into the room and limiting the amount of heat and conditioned air lost up the chimney. Fireplace inserts are recommended for fireplaces that are regularly used. Before installing a fireplace insert, be sure to check the manufacturer's safety specifications and make sure the fireplace insert is compatible with the existing chimney or vent flue.

If you use electricity to heat your home, consider installing an energy-efficient heat pump system. Heat pumps are the most efficient form of electric heating in moderate climates, providing up to three times more heating than the equivalent amount of electrical energy it consumes. A heat pump cools your home by collecting the heat inside your house and effectively pumping it outside. A heat pump can trim the amount of electricity you use for heating as much as 30 to 40%.

If your furnace is more than 15 years old, replace it with an ENERGY STAR qualified furnace, which is 15% more efficient than a conventional furnace. If you have a boiler, consider replacing it with an ENERGY STAR qualified boiler that is 10% more efficient than a new, standard model. If your heat pump is more than 10 years old, replace it with an ENERGY STAR heat pump, which uses at least 20% less energy than a standard new model.

If your air conditioner unit is more than 10 years old, consider replacing it with an ENERGY STAR air conditioner, which uses at least 10% less energy than a standard new model. Select the unit with the highest Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) for greater savings. Ask a trained salesperson for help choosing the size that's right for your needs.

Install glass doors on fireplaces, which act as a barrier against warmed air returning up the chimney. Some models of glass doors are equipped with small vents along the bottom or sides to allow a controlled amount of combustion airflow into the fireplace. The glass allows the heat from the fire to radiate into the room. Because glass doors reduce the amount of conditioned air that is drawn up the chimney, they also reduce infiltration of outside air into the home.

When buying any heating, ventilation or air conditioning equipment, enlist the services of a qualified technician from Ameri-Serv, Inc. to ensure your unit is properly sized and installed for your home/building. A unit that is too large will not only cost you more up front, but will actually work less efficiently, costing you more to operate over its lifetime.

ASI's HVAC and Home Improvement Articles HVAC Contractor Air Conditioning Refrigerant Rip Off One of the more common things we see are air conditioning systems that have been overcharged with refrigerant. This common rip off is usually done when you call for a simple maintenance service and they... HVAC Heating Air Conditioning Capacitor Rip Off Another common practice by dishonest contractors is to replace a simple small part that many times is not necessary. The capacitor is one of those parts that is relatively inexpensive... The Geo-Thermal System Explained in a Nut Shell Geothermal is by far the highest efficiency heating and cooling system available today. While the systems require up to three times more investment upfront than a conventional heating and cooling system... Ameri-Serv, Inc. Heating and Cooling News Ameri-Serv Inc Helping the Treasure Valley Community Ameri-Serv, Inc. Heating and Cooling has successfully helped dozens of Treasure Valley Families with thousands of dollars worth of free maintenance services and repairs through this holiday...

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