How To Be A Penny Pincher

Save Money the Cool Way!

With the ever rising cost of fuel, electricity, and overall cost of living there has never been a better time to learn how to pinch those pennies- after all, they do add up! Here are a few ways you can lessen the burden on your bank account and even help extend the life of our planet while continuing to maintain a sense of comfort in this heat that is sure to hit us hard this year! 

•  Draw the shades/curtains while the sun is up. Rays from the sun are beautiful but they do bring in heat so keep them out of your home as much as possible! 
  
• If you have an attic make sure it is properly ventilated. Hot air rises but if it has nowhere to go it will back up into the rest of the house causing the temperature to rise.
  
• When running your a/c make sure to turn the dial to a higher temperature when you're not in the house so that it doesn't cycle on so much. What's the sense in keeping an empty house cool? If you have pets and/or lots of electronics you may only want to raise it so much as to not cause any harm. 
  
  
  •  Have a hard time remembering to turn the thermostat up and down? Have a programmable thermostat installed- set it and forget it! Take it a step further and get a Wi-Fi Thermostat. Not only can you program it but you can also control it from your smart phone!
• Stay hydrated! Try drinking half of your body weight in ounces to ensure proper hydration and avoid things like soda, coffee, and tea as much as possible as they can actually cause dehydration due to the caffeine and sodium content. Remaining properly hydrated naturally keeps your body at a lower temperature.
  
• Have your a/c cleaned and tuned every year. While there is a cost associated with this you can usually find a special early in the season making the cost minimal. By paying for this service you could save yourself hundreds or even thousands of dollars by catching problems before they get too bad or even develop! 
  
  
  • Reminder: A unit under warranty that does not have routine maintenance performed annually is subject to a void of the warranty if any repairs needed can be proven to be as a result of negligence (lack of maintenance).
     
• Make sure you check your filter(s) in your HVAC system regularly and clean or change them as needed. A dirty/clogged filter can restrict airflow through the unit causing the system to run harder and cycle more often. Not taking this action is like watering a plant, it's sure to make your electricity bills grow!

Stop dumping money into your a/c system!

Season Changing Tips

*** Season Changing Tips ***

Just a few things to consider as we transition into the Spring season......

1. Check and change (if necessary) the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

2. If you haven't changed your HVAC filter in the last 30-90 days it is time to do so. Also, regardless of when you last changed your filter if anyone in your home has been sick you may want to go ahead and change the filter now to keep the germs from continuing to circulate throughout your home.

3. Have your air conditioner and/or heat pump inspected and tuned up sooner than later. The cost of R-22 is climbing exponentially it seems and will only continue to get worse. If you need even ONE pound of R-22 refrigerant this year you may want to consider replacing. Refrigerant should never leave your system unless it has a leak. Unless you repair the leak you will continue to have to pour money into the system to make repairs and with the rising costs of R-22 refrigerant it could become a financial drain. By having routine maintenance performed you could potentially catch any problems before they actually occur.

4. The average central air conditioner has a life expectancy of about 12-15 years. If you have an R-22 condensing unit that is over FIVE years old you may want to consider getting a FREE quote on a replacement unit/system this year. By the year 2020 the production of R-22 refrigerant will be non-existent and the cost per pound leading up to that will continue to grow and become astronomical. This will make it difficult or even impossible for many families to be able to afford to make repairs to their systems. The federal tax credit is in effect for 2013 for installing a new HVAC system and can put $500 back into your pocket come this time next year. In addition to the federal tax credit you may also qualify for rebates or special financing offers if you act early in the season.

Be the bird. Get the worm.

CALL TODAY! 302-378-1203
www.summitcomfort.com