The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills, with nearly half of this going to heating and cooling costs. Betlem Residential Heating and Air Conditioning can help you make smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that can help save on energy costs, improve your overall comfort at home, and help fight global warming. Call us today at 271-4328 to learn how we can help you save.

 Maintain Your Equipment
 
Dirt and neglect are the top causes of heating and cooling system inefficiency and failure. To ensure efficient system operation, it's important to perform routine maintenance.

Click The Diagram Below To Enlarge It To View Common House Problems That Cause High Energy Costs and Sacrifice Comforts 

Change your air filter regularly. A clean filter will prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system, which can lead to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure. Check your filter every month, especially during winter and summer months, when use tends to be heavier. Change your filter if it's dirty— or at least every three months.

 Tune up your HVAC equipment. Proper maintenance by our NATE trained technician is one of the most important steps you can take to prevent future problems. Contractors get busy during summer and winter months, so it is best to check the cooling system in spring and the heating system in the fall. Plan the check- ups around the beginning and end of daylight-saving time each spring and fall.

For Cooling Systems

Clean indoor and outdoor coils before warm weather starts. A dirty coil reduces the system's ability to cool your home and causes the system to run longer, increasing your energy costs and shortening the life of your equipment.

Check your central air conditioner's refrigerant charge and adjust it if necessary to make sure it meets manufacturer specifications. Too much or too little refrigerant charge can damage the compressor, reducing the life of your equipment and increasing costs.

Clean and adjust blower components to provide proper system airflow. Proper airflow over the indoor coil is necessary for efficient equipment operation and reliability.

Use a Programmable Thermostat Properly

A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time throughout the week. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs.

Seal Your Heating and Cooling Ducts

Ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems. In typical houses, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. The result is an inefficient HVAC system, high utility bills, and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set.

Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR

The exterior of your home—the outer walls, ceiling, windows, and floor—is called the "envelope" or "shell." As a knowledgeable homeowner or with the help of a skilled Betlem technician, you can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10 percent on your total annual energy bill) by sealing and insulating your home envelope. It will also make your home more comfortable and help your heating and cooling system run more efficiently.

 Choose the Right Equipment

Consider replacing your equipment with a high- efficiency unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR. Betlem Residential offers some of the best heating and cooling solutions available York and Lennox. Call us today at 271-4328 for a free estimate.