Home Energy Audits

andrew / March 1, 2019

5 Benefits To A Programmable Thermostat | It’s Time To Upgrade

THE BENEFITS OF A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT ARE ENDLESS

First of all, what are programmable thermostats? In one quick sentence, I’d surmise them as the future of thermostats. The benefits of a programmable thermostat are lie in the fact that these thermostats are able to do 1 thing that the normal thermostat doesn’t do: these thermostats are programmable. But what does that mean? We’ll get into all of that in our listicle of the top 5 reasons to upgrade to a programmable thermostat today.

1. Saves Money

Any article you read on programmable thermostats will rank saving money as one of the top benefits of a programmable thermostat. These thermostats are programmable in that they will operate around your level of comfort, adjusting to turn down your HVAC system when you’re not home and pumping the pressure when you are to ensure you’re getting the optimized performance you’re looking for. There are various types of programmable thermostats. Most notably, the nest programmable thermostat is a smart product that since 2011, has saved up to 10-12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills. These smart programmable thermostats can pair with an app to give you an energy history report.

Really, smart programmable thermostats mold themselves around you. Turning down systems when you’re not home, in the middle of the night, and operates your home’s HVAC systems based on your preferences. There are a handful of ‘learning’ smart programmable thermostats that learn more about your day to operate as efficiently as possible.

But you don’t have to just buy the smart ones. There are a handful of programmable thermostats that are timed. The major benefit to smart devices is, of course, irregular schedules.

2. Zoning Your Heating and Cooling

Try as much as we might to get consistent heating and cooling in our homes, we will from time-to-time come across irregular second-floor and first-floor temperatures. This is where another key benefit of a programmable thermostat is hidden. Even if you live in a one-story home, if your home is able to provide zoned heating and cooling, programmable thermostats can offset your home to get more attention where you need there to be. This ensures standard air quality across your home so that you and guests won’t be subject to weird temperatures across the house. This allows you to get a consistent temperature output that you know is being optimized at the lowest cost possible for the greatest efficiency.

3. Ease Of Mind – Setting a Schedule

If saving money is of major importance for you (and let’s be real, is saving money not everyone’s priority?), programmable thermostats are for you. A benefit of a programmable thermostat is that they take all the hard work out of optimizing your home’s AC away from you. It’s the difference between using a calculator and doing math by hand. Sure, you can do it and you’ll get the answer a lot of the times (or relatively close to it), but a calculator is going to give you the right answer every time. In the same way, a smart programmable thermostat is going to work around your schedule and lifestyle to output the home efficiency that’ll work best for you. It works overnight as well so you don’t have to worry about going back and forth to save those few bucks. Even if you’re not the type to manually adjust your home every now-and-then, owning a programmable thermostat still provides the added benefit of knowing your home’s AC unit is being optimized at all times.

4. Energy Efficiency

It might not be the main reason you invested in a programmable thermostat but bragging rights never heart anyone, right? The EPA estimates that with the use of a programmable thermostat, you’re able to save anywhere between 10-30% on heating and electricity. While these figures lean more towards the 10% side, the savings are still highly significant. Of course, this means you save a lot on your heating bill, but also, you get the added benefit of contributing to energy use reduction!

5. Control All Day From Every Place

The added benefit of a smart thermostat is that they are highly integrated with other smart technology. While a lot of learning thermostats are able to recognize your day-to-day schedule, we may from time-to-time take a family vacation or a small day trip where our schedule takes us out of the house. When going on these trips, turning down the thermostat is one of the last things on our minds. Instead of leaving the thermostat as is and paying for an unused day’s worth of AC, you can simply go into the app when convenient for you and control your thermostat there.

All-in-all

Americans spend over $22 billion annually on air conditioning. AC accounts for over 70% of the electricity bill over the summer for, particularly warmer states. And on the spectrum, we’d probably put Arizona on the warmer side. With smart programmable thermostats being able to pay for themselves in less than 2 years, it’s only a matter of when you are ready for one in your home. Whether you reside in a multi-level home or apartment, or if you own a commercial building or vacation homes, or the likes, programmable thermostats could be the device you didn’t know you needed!

The Install

While the installation of a programmable thermostat may be daunting, the process itself doesn’t have to be! As a few DIY pointers, ensure that your HVAC system is turned completely off and that you follow all directions to a T. There are a few guides out there and for the most part, experienced HVAC DIY-ers are able to install different programmable thermostats — although the smart products may be trickier to handle and may require an HVAC professional. But don’t fear! Reach out and our comfort heroes can help you save the day (and some money)!

Reese / March 5, 2018

Reasons to Get a Home Energy Audit in Phoenix

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REASONS TO GET A HOME ENERGY AUDIT IN PHOENIX

MAR 05, 2018

A home energy audit can be the first step in ensuring your home is working as efficiently as possible. A professional auditor will assess everything from your appliances to your ductwork to your lights. But what are the specific benefits of a home energy audit and why should you get one?

HOME ENERGY AUDIT IN PHOENIX

The benefits of a home energy audit for homeowners in Phoenix are especially pronounced. The extreme climate means that most folks simply cannot afford for their homes to be operating like anything less than a well-oiled machine. A difference of even just a few degrees on the thermostat can mean heaps of money over the course of consecutive 100-plus-degree days. With summer and extreme heat just around the corner, check out these reasons to consider getting your home energy audit now.

WHAT IS A HOME ENERGY AUDIT?

A home energy audit is the process in which a professional conducts a thorough and holistic assessment of all of the systems in your home. This assessment allows for recommendations to improve the functionality of all of the systems that comprise your home. By understanding how much energy your home uses and where there is potential room for improvement, homeowners can make strategic decisions about upkeep and upgrades. At its most basic level, a home energy audit identifies areas that energy is going to waste — wasted energy is wasted money. The ratio of energy used by any element of your home must be proportional to its output, whether that be cool air, light or something else. If there is insulation that needs touched up, a thermostat that is not working correctly or an appliance that is not working as well as it could, a good auditor will find it and let you know in a detailed report.

While do-it-yourself home energy audits are certainly not a bad idea, they do not carry the same precision as an audit from a professional. Before the professional visits your home for an energy audit, be prepared with some information.

For instance:

Is anyone at home during the typical work day?

What are your typical thermostat settings?

Are there any rooms in the home that you do not use?

Gather the previous year’s energy bills for the professional to review as well.

Then be prepared to be home while the auditor does a walkthrough of your home. During the physical inspection, they will likely have questions that will require your input. Using different types of special equipment, the auditor will assess where your home is experiencing energy losses.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A HOME ENERGY AUDIT?

You have probably already guessed the immediate benefits of a home energy audit — a likely savings on your utility bills. Many homeowners could save hundreds of dollars every yearwithout even changing their lifestyles. But did you know that the money-saving benefits extend even beyond that? By ensuring maximum energy efficiency, you can extend the lifespan of expensive systems and appliances like HVAC systems and even your washer and dryer. Not only will these systems last longer, but they will be less likely to need repairs as frequently over the years.

And did you know that a home energy audit can help improve the comfort of your home?

Many homeowners have found that after following the professional recommendations gleaned from their assessments that their air quality improved inside their home, the home was quieter and that overly drafty or hot rooms were fixed.

Additionally, some utility companies provide different incentives for getting a home energy audit. Check with your local company (likely SRP or APS) to find out what incentives might currently be available to you.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING A HOME ENERGY AUDIT COMPANY

When choosing a professional to conduct your home energy audit, be sure you pick a company that is well-respected and accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

Ask questions such as:

How they will conduct your home energy audit?

What kind of equipment they will be using?

How often is the equipment calibrated?

If you are ready to start enjoying the energy and money savings that come with an intensive home energy audit, give us a call today. We have excellent reviews and all of our work is guaranteed. Furthermore, we can help streamline the total process of increasing your home’s efficiency by executing recommendations your home energy audit might yield. While other auditors only do audits, we do it all! After we have conducted a thorough assessment of your house, we will help you build a solid plan to start cashing in on your home’s newfound efficiency. But you are on your own when it comes time to plan out what you are going to do with all of that money you will be saving down the road!

Click here to contact us about a home energy audit.

Reese / May 2, 2017

The Top 5 Energy Saving Tips for Summer

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THE TOP 5 ENERGY SAVING TIPS FOR SUMMER

MAY 02, 2017

Summer in Phoenix can be a stressful time for homeowners. In addition to soaring temperatures, the kids may be home more often with school out, you may be entertaining more or you may find that the heat puts a strain on more appliances than just your air conditioner. So what’s a Phoenix area homeowner to do? Here are our top 5 energy saving tips!

HOW CAN I LOWER MY ELECTRIC BILL IN THE SUMMER?

1. TAKE STOCK OF ALL OF YOUR APPLIANCES AND UTILITIES

While Phoenix area residents understandably think of their air conditioner first when seeking energy saving tips for summer (your air conditioner is the top energy user in your home, after all), to truly maximize savings, homeowners need to also be conscious of how much they use their other appliances as well. Doing laundry on off-peak hours and reconsidering the extra refrigerator in the garage are just a couple of examples.

The swimming pool is the second largest energy user in most Phoenix residences, but luckily, simply running the filter overnight is an energy saving tip that can result in significant savings and decreased energy consumption.

2. USE YOUR CEILING FANS APPROPRIATELY

One of our top energy saving tips for summer is to make sure you are properly utilizing your ceiling fans – and be sure other members of your family are as well. If you or someone else in the household feels a little warm, be sure fans are turned on and spinning counterclockwise (for optimal cooling) before anyone thinks about touching the thermostat.

3. CLEAN AIR FILTERS ARE A MUST

Keep your air filters clean and be prepared to change them more frequently than normal during summer months. Because you are likely using your HVAC system far more often, it is only logical that filters will become dirty and clogged that much more frequently. A clean air filter is critical to an efficiently running air conditioner and another practical energy saving tip – the cost of additional filters will be more than made up for when you see the difference in your utility bills.

4. SET YOUR THERMOSTAT CORRECTLY BASED ON YOUR SCHEDULE

In terms of energy saving tips for summer, this may be one of the ones that stumps people often. With all of the conflicting information about whether or not or how often to adjust your thermostat in the summer, the truth is that it depends. While you will want to let your air conditioner keep your house at a steady temperature while you are home, it is a good idea to set it about four degrees warmer while you are away for any significant length of time. But, because life can be unpredictable, many people understandably forget to adjust their thermostat in this way and lose out on all of the benefits of this energy saving tip.

If you have a fairly consistent schedule, programmable thermostats can be a lifesaver. You can set your thermostat to adjust automatically based on the time of day and the day of the week. For the more high-tech crowd, there are numerous thermostat options that interact with your mobile device so that you can adjust the thermostat after you have already left your home and even begin cooling it back down when you know you will be home soon. Furthermore, these thermostats can result in significant energy savings in the summer because they adapt to your habits and the weather.

Additionally, make sure that you have the correct fan setting to make the most of our energy saving tips for summer. Instead of leaving it on the “On” setting all of the time, keep it on “Auto” or, even better, “Circulate” if you have a newer thermostat and that is an option. Lastly, no air conditioner can be expected to work efficiently if it is not properly maintained and the correct size for the home.

5. SET YOUR THERMOSTAT TO THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE

What temperature to set your air conditioner to in summer is entirely dependent on you and your preferences. Because this is an article about energy saving tips for summer, we will assume that your priority is keeping within your budget. But with temperatures soaring over the 100° mark routinely over the course of Phoenix summers, it is not practical to think that your utility bill will not increase at all.

Consider the temperature you currently feel comfortable at and move the temperature on your thermostat up a couple of degrees every few days. Not only will you be conditioning yourself to be comfortable at higher temperatures, but you will also find that even warmer temperatures still feel relatively cool as the thermometer begins its upswing in the outdoors. Consistently setting your thermostat to even just a few degrees warmer than you normally would can yield huge dividends in the form of lower energy costs and is one of our top energy saving tips for summer.

If you have not already, consider a Donley Home Energy Audit. Our professional will conduct a multi-point inspection to make specific recommendations and give you personalized energy saving tips based on a variety of factor such as your equipment, how many people live in your home, how long you are home during the day and what your average thermostat setting is.