Steps to conserve HVAC energy present a year-round opportunity to cut costs and make indoor comfort more efficient and consistent. Consider this fact: Your HVAC system typically consumes more energy than any other appliance or system in your house, accounting for about 45% of a home’s total energy use.
Heating is the largest single energy expense, accounting for between 35% and 50% of annual energy costs. Meanwhile, air conditioning represents about 12% percent of energy consumption. These are average figures that are not written in stone. Workable measures you can take will conserve HVAC energy use and reduce the expenses that come with it. Those measures that will help conserve HVAC energy include:
- Schedule annual professional preventive maintenance. A checkup and tune-up by a certified HVAC technician reduces incidences of malfunctions. Annual professional maintenance is also associated with improved energy efficiency. According to the Department of Energy, keeping HVAC units operating up to the manufacturer’s specifications can reduce operating costs by up to 30%.
- Replace air filters regularly. Dirty filters reduce both AC and furnace efficiency. Change the filter every month during the summer cooling season and at least every other month during heating season.
- Manage thermostat settings. Avoid constant thermostat adjustments that waste energy. Program a comfortable, efficient setting and stick with it. The Department of Energy now recommends thermostat settings of 78 degrees during waking hours in summer and 68 degrees in winter to reduce energy consumption. During sleeping hours in winter, reducing the setting to 61 degrees is suggested.
- Enhance insulation. What keeps heat indoors in winter and outdoors in summer is attic insulation. Get insulation checked to make sure it meets current recommendations for energy savings. If more insulation is needed, in most cases it can be added atop the existing layer without prohibitive expense.
- Check the ducts. Over a span of time, most ducts develop leaks. This typically reduces furnace efficiency by at least 20%. A professional inspection and duct pressure test can identify leaks for repair.
Paitson Bros. is ready to help you conserve HVAC energy for lower costs and improved heating and cooling performance. We’re now celebrating a century of service to the Wabash Valley.
Jeff Paitson is a third generation business owner who continues to run the business with the same values that have been passed down from previous generations since 1922.
Jeff’s belief is that the business belongs to Jesus Christ; therefore 10 percent of the company’s profits go toward the Maryland Community Church.
Jeff is a Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce member and in his spare time, he enjoys 
Ethan Rayburn is a lifelong resident of Terre Haute and a 2005 graduate of Purdue University.
An Eagle Scout, Ethan spent four years as a non-profit executive with the Boy Scouts of America before joining Paitson Bros. as a comfort advisor and later General Manager. In that role, Ethan has brought a renewed enthusiasm for customer care, integrity, value, and service to Paitson Bros. Heating & Air Conditioning.
Ethan enjoys singing and was a member of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. He also enjoys playing and coaching soccer, spending time with his family and two young boys, and volunteering his time and resources with his church, Terre Haute First Baptist Church, which he has attended from a very young age.
Paitson Bros
1 (812) 232-2347
Serving the Wabash Valley, IN Area Since 1922