HEATING TIPS

Replacing your Furnace Filter Lowers Your Energy Costs!
One of the most simple ways you can increase the life-span of your furnace is to regularly check and replace the air filters. Furnace filters are very low cost. Replacing filters at least once a month will improve your furnace’s efficiency. When filters are clogged with pollutants, air cannot flow through easily, making the furnace work harder. A furnace that does not work efficiently will cost you more money in energy.

Look for the EnergyStar!
Logan A/C and Heat Services and TRANE offer a wide selection of products that are Energy Star qualified. Programmable thermostats earn the Energy Star by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the government. Programmable thermostats automatically adjust your home’s temperature settings, allowing you to save energy while you’re away or sleeping. When used properly a programmable thermostat can save you about $150 per year. TRANE also offers the most efficient furnace on the market, the XV95. This furnace is up to 96.7% efficient, and it also earns the Energy Star. The XV95 provides comfortable and even heating with its variable speed fan motor which adjusts speed to provide a consistent flow of warm air into your home. The furnace has been tested again and again for proven long-lasting performance and durability.

Carbon Monoxide Can Be Deadly
You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels it can kill a person in minutes. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned. That’s why it is important to know the symptoms of CO poisoning. At moderate levels, you or your family can get sever headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated or faint. You can even die if these levels persist for a long time. If you think you could be experiencing any of these symptoms, GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY! Also go to an emergency room and tell the physician about your systems. To prevent CO poisoning make sure to have your fuel burning furnace inspected by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season. Make sure that the flues and chimney are connected, in good condition, and not blocked. Carbon Monoxide Detectors can be used as a good back up — but never as a replacement for proper use and maintenance of your fuel-burning furnace.

10 Reasons To Have Your Furnace Checked

• Save up to 10% on utility bills.
• Maintain manufacturer warranty.
• Prolonged equipment life.
• Fewer unexpected service calls.
• Improved heating and cooling capacity.
• Protection against rising energy costs.
• Improved family safety with carbon monoxide checks.
• Healthier indoor air.
• Conserve our nation’s energy supply.
• Peace of mind.

$$$ Saving Tips

• Have your furnace checked annually. It should be cleaned and tuned up before each heating season.
• Make sure you have adequate insulation in the attic and walls of your home.
• Take steps to keep air from leaking around doors and windows.
• Regularly check and replace filters on your furnace.
• Lower your thermostat setting when you are not at home.

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COOLING TIPS

Maintain Your A/C
It’s easy to think of your home’s air conditioner as “set it and forget it.” But that’s not true! Even though air conditioners are generally sturdy devices built for long use, regular maintenance is they key to efficient operation and long life. Just like a car tune-up maintains top gas mileage, same is true with your A/C. Give it some love and attention, and it will reward you with peak operating efficiency and increased comfort. So what are the penalties for letting maintenance slide? In addition to a loss of cooling efficiency that results in higher electricity bills, you’re looking at possible high repair costs and even early replacement. The common rule of thumb: for each year of routine maintenance you skip, your air conditioner loses about 5% of its efficiency. It also boils down to the fact that the cost of an annual tune-up from Logan Services can be recovered very quickly in savings on electric bills, repair bills and replacement costs. Benjamin Franklin’s saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” certainly rings true here. Even if you’ve put this off for years, a tune-up can bring back your A/C’s efficiency to optimum levels.

Cheap Ways to Stay Cool
Soaring energy costs can cost you a fortune! Now more than ever, it is so important that you take the proper steps to keep your home comfortable without spending more than you have to. Here are a few quick tips that will help you maintain your comfort system and keep your home cool all summer long.

• Get regular tune-ups (twice a year) to keep the system operating efficiently and to prevent costly repairs. It's much easier, and often cheaper, to prevent damage than it is to repair damage.
• Don't forget to change your system’s filter once a month. This will help the air to flow freely through your system making it easier for the system to operate.
• Keep your curtains and shades drawn on the south and west windows of your home. Average utility savings can be 3 - 6%
• Remember to turn off your outdoor unit when mowing your grass. If cut grass and debris is blown into the outdoor unit it will interfere with the airflow and decrease the efficiency of your air conditioning and heating system. Mow away from your condenser.
• Plant a tree. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and provide shade to naturally shade your home from the sun.

Don’t Lose Your Cool
Are you leaving home for a long weekend getaway with the family or maybe taking a day trip to one of Ohio’s attractions? Never turn OFF your air conditioner, leave home, and then come back home to turn the A/C back on. If you do, don’t expect your house to cool off for a long time. Even worse, this won’t save you any money. Turning your air conditioner off on warm days will actually force your air conditioner to work harder to get back to the desired temperature when you return home. Heat and humidity build up in your home’s walls, furniture and carpet so it will take many hours to eliminate that heat. Next time you head out the door, set the temperature up two to four degrees, instead of turning your A/C off. This will help keep those utility bills lower and keep you comfortable when you arrive back home. Now go, and enjoy these beautiful summer days we are having without any worries!

Proper Sizing Matters
When it comes to your heating and air conditioning system, bigger isn't always better, and smaller isn't always more economical. The wrong sized system could cost you! A system that is too large will cool or heat your house quickly, but too many starts and stops will shorten the life of your equipment and increase your utility bills. A system that is too small won’t get the job done either. A system that runs constantly may increase your energy consumption.

That's why a properly completed load calculation is so important. Logan Services will determine the correct system type and size for your home by doing a whole house analysis. Critical factors include:

• Climate
• Number of windows
• Insulation and ductwork
• Skylights and fireplaces
• Ceiling heights
• The number of people in your home

Logan Services can determine the correct system type and size for your home. Call Logan Services today at 1-800-564-2611 for a free in-home consultation.

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