Cooling and Heating Tips

One of the biggest energy costs for businesses is maintaining an appropriate temperature. It's important for employee comfort and productivity, and in many cases, for product freshness. Here are a few ways you can feel a big difference in costs, without feeling a big difference in temperature.

HVAC System

Set up a regular maintenance contract for your Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system on an annual basis, or as recommended by your manufacturer.  Regular maintenance will help your HAVC system run more efficiently and lower your energy consumption.

Air Conditioning and Heating

You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to 68°F when your business is open, and lowering it when your business is closed. In the summer, you can follow the same strategy with central air conditioning by keeping your office warmer than normal when you are away, and lowering the thermostat setting to 78°F when you are at the office.

Filters

Daily use of your HVAC equipment will degrade the efficiency over time. Consistent monitoring and filter changes will reduce energy costs and extend the life span of your equipment.

Programmable Thermostats

Older thermostats turn the HVAC on and off based on temperature, so they heat and cool your building all night. Programmable thermostats, on the other hand, turn on the HVAC one hour before you arrive in the morning.

Weather-Stripping

Plug the leaks in your office or building with weather-stripping and caulking. This will reduce the exchange of air through cracks in your windows, doors, utility switches, outlets, and any other holes. Too many leaks will make building environments drafty or clammy, and can make heating or cooling a building very expensive.