Consider a programmable thermostat to save you money and maintain a consistent climate in your home.Keep your HVAC system well-maintained.
Turn off lights when you leave a room for more than a minute or leave the house entirely. Use compact fluorescent lights for longer lasting bulbs.
Close all doors and windows to keep your system operating economically.
Use the sunlight to your advantage. In the winter, keep curtains and shades open. In the summer, reduce the amount of direct sunlight by keeping shades closed.
Use ENERGY STAR® equipment to guarantee operational efficiency.
Use the dishwasher when it is fully loaded only.
Clean the lint out of the dryer after every load so the machine does not have to waste energy.
Use cold water instead of hot when doing loads of laundry; the change in temperature will positively impact the amount of energy used.
Keep your refrigerator, freezer and oven doors shut so as not to let cool or hot air escape.
Opt for a shower over a bath if you want to save gallons and gallons of hot water.
Install fans throughout your house to cut your energy bill dramatically.
Keep your heating and a/c filters clean. Ask us at Hines Heating & Air Conditioning what the proper filter is for your home!
Fix any leaks. A drop of water every second can result in 165 gallons per month!
Install showerhead and faucet features that conserve water.
Do not block vents inside the house with rugs or furniture.
Set the thermostat as close to the outside temperature as comfortably possible. 78 degrees for the summer and 68 degrees for the winter are ideal.
Summer Tips
Have your equipment inspected by Hines Heating & Air Conditioning before the first heat wave comes.
AC units can only cool down an area so quickly. Make sure you do not wait until your home is unbearably hot before turning it on.
Install an attic fan - it can cool your attic by nearly 30°!
In order not to increase the demand on your AC unit, use the microwave or outside grill as often as possible during the day and avoid running the dishwasher, washing machine and other appliances during the day.
Install fans and run them to keep you comfortable in the summer months. During the summer, your blades should face forward to blow air downward.
Keep your blinds and curtains closed to keep excess heat out.
White blinds and window treatments will reflect the sunlight away from your house.
Plant trees and shrubbery around your outside unit to keep it shaded. Your system will use 10% less electricity than a unit in the direct sunlight.
Keep debris away from outdoor unit and keep the AC coils clean.
Planting trees around your house and windows will limit the direct sunlight and improve operational costs.
Do not put lamps and electronic devices that produce heat too close to a thermostat, because it may cause the thermostat to think the house is warmer than it actually is.
Have your air conditioning system checked by a professional to make sure it is running efficiently.
Do not overly adjust your thermostat. Raising it a couple of degrees while you are away will help you reduce energy consumption by around 4%.
Set your thermostat to "fan on" status when cooling your house to keep air circulating.
Winter Tips
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you'll save one percent of your total heating bill for each degree your thermostat is set back in the winter.
Don't wait to turn your heating system on. Make sure it works and the filters are changed before the temperature drops.
Contact Hines Heating & Air Conditioning if it is not working properly.
Turn back the temperature on your thermostat when you leave home.
Open blinds on sunny days to bring in additional heat, especially the blinds on the south side of the house.
Check your entryways for drafts, look for cracks in and around your windows where you may be losing heat, and correct them.
Shut the doors of rooms and closets that are not in use.
Set your fans in reverse so that the warm air is circulated around the room.
Ask professionals to inspect the condition of the insulation. It should have at least 6 inches of good insulation and enough air pockets to contain cold air.
A humidifier can help add needed moisture to your home during the wintertime as well as improve health issues.
Close your fireplace's damper and kitchen vent when they are not being used. An open damper or vent can waste a lot of warm air.
Have your fireplace chimney cleaned and inspected regularly.
Install glass doors on the fireplace for additional insulation.
Have your furnace looked at by Hines Heating & Air Conditioning to make sure it is operating optimally.
Space heaters are dangerous and expensive to leave running. Avoid using space heaters if possible.
MOLD GUIDE
It is important to understand how to control and prevent mold and moisture in your home. Below is some abbreviated and basic information gathered from the EPA.
Guide to Basic Mold Information and Prevention:
The key to mold control is moisture control.
If mold is a problem in your home, you should clean up the mold promptly and fix the water problem.
It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
Why is mold growing in my house?
Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.
Can mold cause health problems?
Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing. This brochure provides a brief overview; it does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information consult a health professional. You may also wish to consult your state or local health department.
How do I get rid of mold?
It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust.
The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.
Molds can gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to your home and furnishings, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growth. HELPFUL LINKS
EPA's A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home This guide, published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will provide valuable information such as the causes of mold, the health hazards it poses, and how to rid your home of it permanently. http://www.epa.gov/mold/pdfs/moldguide.pdf
EPA's An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality Here the EPA will report on the various sources and affects of indoor air pollutants and how to use your indoor ventilation systems to prevent these pollutants in your home. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html
EPA's Guide to Clean Energy At this site the EPA outlines how utilizing clean energy in your home affects not only your environmental impact, but also your wallet. In addition they provide several state and local programs that save energy and improve air quality as well as a few clean energy programs that promote clean technologies. http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/
Energy Star This link to the Energy Star website will provide all information on Energy Star rated products that will save energy in your home or office as well as make a positive environmental impact. This page also includes links to cost-effective benefits such as tax credits for energy efficiency and the Energy Star appliance rebate program. http://www.energystar.gov/
EPA's Consumer Guide to Radon Reduction Here you will find helpful information about Radon, testing for Radon, what to look for in a Radon-Reduction system, how it enters your home, and how to prevent the cancer-causing gas from entering your home. http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html
U.S. Department of Energy- News Room Here you will find recent news updates from the U.S. Department of Energy such as the benefits of using Smart Grid electrical meters, and the increased initiative from Washington D.C. to boost the research and development of Carbon Capture and Storage. http://www.energy.gov/
FTC's Saving Starts @ Home Here the Federal Trade Commission provides an interactive illustration of ways you can conserve energy in your home while reducing your energy bill. http://www.ftc.gov/energysavings
ACEEE This is the home page for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Here you will find current events, publications, and news reports in the environmental field as they relate to the economy, as well as consumer resources such as energy efficiency incentives. http://www.aceee.org/
The Tax Incentives Assistance Program (TIAP) Here the TIAP provides information on the various federal income tax incentives for the use of energy efficient products and technologies. This also includes the latest tax incentives updates as well as any IRS forms necessary to take advantage of the incentives. http://energytaxincentives.org/
EPA's Guide to Protecting Your Household from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Carbon Monoxide can be deadly, but it is preventable. Follow the EPA's prevention tips and learn how to detect if Carbon Monoxide is in your home. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/coftsht.html POLLUTANT SOURCES
Courtesy of the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/)
There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.
The relative importance of any single source depends on how much of a given pollutant it emits and how hazardous those emissions are. In some cases, factors such as how old the source is and whether it is properly maintained are significant. For example, an improperly adjusted gas stove can emit significantly more carbon monoxide than one that is properly adjusted.
Some sources, such as building materials, furnishings, and household products like air fresheners, release pollutants more or less continuously. Other sources, related to activities carried out in the home, release pollutants intermittently. These include smoking, the use of unvented or malfunctioning stoves, furnaces, or space heaters, the use of solvents in cleaning and hobby activities, the use of paint strippers in redecorating activities, and the use of cleaning products and pesticides in house-keeping. High pollutant concentrations can remain in the air for long periods after some of these activities. INDOOR AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH
Courtesy of the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/)
Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.
Immediate effects
Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.
The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person. Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.
Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from home, for example, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes. Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home.
Long-term effects
Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.
While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in homes and which occurs from the higher concentrations that occur for short periods of time.
