Heating & Cooling tips
Non-summer thermostat
In the fall, winter and spring, set the thermostat to 68° or lower. Lower it to 55° at night or when no one's home.
Use portable heaters
Use portable heaters only in rooms that don't get enough heat, or if your home doesn’t have a central heating system. Remember to turn them off when the room’s not in use.
Heat pump HVAC
Upgrade to a new heat pump HVAC to trim your energy bills and increase the comfort of your home. Rebates and financing are available.
Change your air filter
Change the air filter regularly. A unit with dirty filters can use 5-10% more energy. You can improve energy efficiency and improve your indoor air quality by cleaning or replacing your filters every one to three months. You can find your filter in the return air register (may be on the wall or ceiling) or on the HVAC unit itself.
If you rent your home, ask your building management who is responsible for filter checking and replacement to be certain that filters are changed on a regular basis.
Clean outside of AC unit
To help your air conditioning system work as efficiently as possible, carefully clean the exterior of the outdoor unit, or condenser. Remove dirt and debris, and clear any vegetation within two feet of the unit. Rinse off the unit by turning the system off and wash the unit's exterior with a gentle stream from your hose in a downward direction.
For window units, keep furniture away from the unit and trim back tree branches or foliage from the outside part of the unit.
Programmable thermostat
Use a smart or programmable thermostat to maintain your preferred temperature when you're home and switch to an energy-saving mode when you're away. Consider setting back temperatures 5-8 degrees when you're away. If you have a heat pump heating and cooling system, consult a certified HVAC specialist before selecting a programmable thermostat or choosing a schedule. Heat pumps regulate temperature differently from gas furnaces, so heat pump owners should use different strategies to save energy.
Air flow
Keep vents open and air flowing. Closing doors and room vents puts extra strain on the central system.
Use fans
Use fans instead of central air conditioning whenever possible. A fan costs about 90% less to operate.
Precooling
If your home cools easily and can maintain a consistent temperature, try precooling your home:
- Turn on the air conditioning in the morning.
- Raise your thermostat setting to 78 degrees (or turn it off) during the peak hours of 5 PM - 8 PM.
- Enjoy the cool air you have stored up.
Summer thermostat
In the summer months, set your thermostat to 78° or higher. You'll save around 5-10% on cooling costs for every two degrees you raise the temperature.