Top Energy Saving Tips & Hacks for Houston Homeowners

Prepare Your Home Comfort System for Fall

October 2, 2015 by James Richmond

While fall seems to take some extra time to settle into the Houston area, it’s finally that time of year! Pumpkins are out, the summer heat has relented, and the weather is starting to cool down at last. As you’re pulling your fall sweaters out of the closet, you might also want to start preparing your home for the changing of seasons.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare your home for fall:

Change your programmed temperatures. As the outside temps cool down, so does your home. Your cooling system was working hard this summer to circulate the cool air through your home in the scorching heat. Adjust your temperature a few degrees to match your comfort level.

Test your heat. You may think it’s unnecessary to test your heat when it’s still a comfortable temperature outside, but it might save you some pain later! Since the heating elements of your home comfort system sat dormant during the summer months, give it a quick test run to make sure it’s functioning properly for when that cold weather burst finally hits. If you are testing your heat and detect a burning order coming from your vents, don’t worry! It is perfectly normal as the dust is moving and resettling around your heating system. It should go away shortly. If it doesn’t, give us a call at (713) 732-6426.

Reverse your ceiling fans. Many people don’t know but on every fan there is a switch that changes the directional spin. One way (clockwise) sucks the air from the lower half of the room pulling it upward, and the opposite way (counter-clockwise) fans air from the top half of the room to the bottom half. During the winter, it’s recommended that your ceiling fan spins counter-clockwise since it will fan the warmer air from the top half to the rest of the room.

These are few quick and easy things that you can do right now to prepare your home for fall. The changing of the seasons is always a good time for a home comfort system check up! We at Richmond’s Air are happy to help get your home ready for fall and winter.

For some simply DIY steps you can take to ensure your home heating and cooling system is in good shape, read our knowledge center article “Make Sure Your A/C is Healthy: 3 Steps You Can Take.”

The Value of Quality and Properly Installed Insulation

August 17, 2015 by James Richmond

Did you know that you could have the best heating and air system in the world but if your home is not properly insulated, this great system is not doing much for you. The value of high quality and properly installed insulation is greater than most people realize.

Residential insulation is not an option anymore, but rather a necessity. Electricity and energy costs in general are on the rise everywhere, especially here in Southeast Texas! Without proper insulation, your bills can become unaffordable.

If you are in an older home, your home may not even have insulation so you should definitely consider getting it installed throughout your home. Or maybe your home does have insulation but it is old, installed poorly or not working efficiently as it should?

Once your home is properly insulated, your heating and cooling system will be protected from working so hard to replace conditioned air that keeps escaping outside. Reducing the wear and tear on your unit means more money in your pocket. When your air conditioning system is working 24/7 to heat or cool, not only are you never truly comfortable but you are paying such an enormous and unnecessary amount of money that you could otherwise be using to properly insulate your home.

In short, below are reasons you should make sure your home is properly insulated:

To reduce energy costs
To make the inside temperature more comfortable
To help the system run less and last longer
To reduce noise transfer between rooms
To improve humidity control

It is vital to make certain your home has the correct amount and type of insulation for the geographic location where you live. The hot and humid Houston climate does require for our homes to be well-insulated.

Are you having a hard time keeping your home or office cool? Are your energy bills too high? Do you suspect you may be lacking on the proper amount of insulation? If you said yes to any of these questions, contact one of our qualified residential air technicians to determine what your home may be missing.

If you live in Houston, Bellaire, Spring or nearby, Richmond’s Air is prepared to help you save on those huge energy bills!

In addition to adding insulation to reduce your energy bill, read about 5 Energy Upgrades That Can Save You Money.

3 Common Money-Wasting Mistakes to Avoid This Summer

May 29, 2015 by James Richmond

It’s summertime! It’s the season for beach vacations and neighborhood BBQs, but nothing can kill the happy summer vibes more than receiving an expensive electric bill. Fortunately, there may be a way to shave a few bucks off your bill this summer while still keeping your home cool.

Here are a few of our money-wasting mistakes you should avoid this summer:

Mistake #1- Never adjusting your thermostat

If you think you can just set the temperature and leave it alone all summer, think again! Never adjusting your thermostat can waste up to 15% on your annual cooling costs. If you leave your home for an 8-hour period for work or a night away, set your thermostat 5-8° higher. This small step can make a big difference on your bill. Having a programmable thermostat installed can help make this task easier.

Mistake #2-Adjusting your thermostat too much

Stopping and starting your air conditioning in order to get the perfect temperature will cost you both money and energy. The unit has to work harder if you are constantly changing the temperature, even if it is just up or down a few degrees, as it will have to continue starting up or shutting down. Longer, steadier runs from your unit will save money.

Mistake #3- Poor Maintenance

If you feel like you’re constantly setting your temperature lower and lower, but the air never seems to get colder, it could be that your unit needs some A/C maintenance. If your A/C unit isn’t properly maintained, it won’t cool your home or office as efficiently as it should and it uses more energy trying to cool to a temperature that it can’t reach.

Avoiding these common mistakes will help you save some money this summer! If you’re looking for more energy saving tips, check out what the U.S. Department of Energy has to say about thermostats. And don’t forget that we are here to help! Just give us a call at (713) 732-6426 for timely and professional A/C service in the greater Houston area. Also, check out our knowledge center and blog for more helpful tips.

3 Ways to Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

February 27, 2015 by James Richmond

It only takes one prolonged cold snap or heat streak in Southeast Texas to reveal homes with energy efficiency problems. Drafty or stuffy rooms that feel uncomfortable despite constantly running A/C or heat is a telltale sign that your home could use some energy upgrades.

Not only will energy upgrades increase your comfort in both cold and warm weather, they’ll pay for themselves in energy savings.

Here are three ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency:

Caulk around windows. Caulking your windows and exterior doorways is an easy project. It only takes a couple of hours, should cost less than $30, and can improve the energy efficiency of your home by up to 10%.
Make sure your ductwork and attic are sealed and insulated. The metal ductwork that brings in cooled and heated air should be well-sealed with Mastic and insulated, otherwise you’re losing air. Likewise, if your attic isn’t well-sealed and insulated, your heat is literally going through the roof. Enthusiastic DIYers may be able to tackle these projects, but don’t hesitate to contact a professional. Learn more about ductwork repair.
Use window treatments to insulate. If caulking around the windows still leaves your home drafty at the windows, consider investing in window treatments, such as heavy drapes, that can increase a room’s heat preservation by 10% (according to the Department of Energy) as well as cut down on window heat from the sun in the summer. Roman shades and blinds may also be helpful.

At Richmond’s Air, we’re here to help those in the metro-Houston area stay comfortable regardless of the weather. Our professional and trustworthy HVAC contractors can help you choose the right size heating and cooling products for your home, provide crucial maintenance, and offer other energy savings tips. And we’re always here to help you beat the heat!

Wanna Reduce Your Energy Bill By 30%? Check Your Ductwork

December 22, 2014 by James Richmond

It may be hard to believe, but you could be wasting a lot of energy when you crank on your AC. Like a LOT of energy. And it’s not because your air conditioner isn’t the most efficient ENERGYSTAR air conditioner around; it’s because your ductwork is leaking out all that cold air into your attic, basement, or crawlspace.

In a recent three year study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, researchers found that leaky ducts are actually the biggest energy drain associated with heating and air conditioning systems, and that these leaky ducts could be using 30% more energy than if they were correctly sealed and insulated.

The good news is that it can be fairly easy to locate leaky ducts if they’re in an accessible space like your attic. Check to see if:

You notice that the space feels unusually cool even though it’s hot outside. An unconditioned space may feel comfortable if your home is tightly insulated, but it probably won’t feel as cool as your living space if the ducts are properly insulated.

Your ductwork isn’t insulated. Note, though, that insulated ductwork might still not be properly sealed.

If you think you’ve got leaks, you can turn your air on and place your hands on the ductwork to see if you can feel any air leaking out- particularly close to the air handler unit.

It’s possible that you can complete the project yourself for fairly cheap. Visit Richmonds The Heat Beat to learn more about how to seal your ductwork.

If you want energy savings without the DYI home improvement project, call our experienced technicians at Richmond’s Air. We’re here to help those in Houston, Bellaire, Bunker Hill Village and the surrounding areas find solutions to make their homes comfortable and efficient.