LOCKWOOD: Gearing up for fall home energy management – Mcalester News Capital

Fall is in the air after our much-needed rain this week. Fall is a good time to gear up on our home energy management as winter will be arrive before we know it.

Nearly half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling.

Making smart decisions regarding your home’s heating and cooling system can have a big impact on utility bills. A few simple steps around the home can pay big dividends when the weather cools down. Think back to the deep freeze Oklahoma experienced in February this year and remember how your utility bills reflected the increased energy usage.

The easiest and least expensive way to increase system efficiency is to change the air filter regularly. Check it once per month and change it, at minimum, three times per year.

A dirty filter slows down air flow and makes the system work harder to keep you warm or cool. A clean filter also will prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system, which could lead to a costly repair or an early system failure.

Just like people go to the doctor and get a yearly checkup or schedule their vehicle for a tune-up, it’s important to do the same for your HVAC system. In the fall, check all gas or oil connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and heat exchanger. Improper connections can be a fire hazard and can contribute to health problems.

A smart thermostat is a great investment for homeowners to help lower utility bills. A smart thermostat lets you control the home’s heating and cooling temperature settings from a smart device such as a cell phone, tablet or computer. These thermostats are Wi-Fi enabled, which allows access to its temperature and other features through an app downloaded on your smart device.

Another option is a programmable thermostat that allows homeowners to set the temperature for different times of the day. For example, the heat can be set to automatically turn down to a specified temperature when everyone goes to bed and automatically turn up in the morning.

Another area to check on is the ductwork in the home. The ducts that move the air often can be big energy wasters. Sealing and insulating ducts can significantly improve the efficiency of your air system. Start with the ductwork that runs through unheated/uncooled parts of the home such as the attic, crawl spaces and garage, then move to heated/cooled spaces in the home.

If your heat and air system is older, or simply isn’t heating and cooling effectively, have it evaluated by a professional.

Rachel Lockwood is the Family Consumer Science Extension Educator with Pittsburg County OSU Cooperative Extension Service. For more information related to this topic or related FCS programs contact Rachel at 918-423-4120, email Rachel.lockwood@okstate.edu or on Pittsburg County OSU Website http://oces.okstate.edu/pittsburg/ or find Pittsburg County OSU Extension Center or Pittsburg County OHCE on Facebook.

Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local governments cooperating. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Original Source: https://www.mcalesternews.com/news/local_news/lockwood-gearing-up-for-fall-home-energy-management/article_98be37b4-7f75-5d56-be04-5cc00e48fbac.html