Programmable Thermostats

Did you know you can save lots of money and energy by replacing your old thermostat with an inexpensive digital model? With a push of a few buttons you can program it to automatically turn the heat down when you’re not home and heat things back up just before you walk in the door. According to the Department of Energy you can save 10% of your heating costs with this simple device.

• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
• Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
• Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
• Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
• During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.