Plumbing and HVAC Money-Saving Tips

We hope you’ll find these money-saving tips from the U.S. Department of Energy useful as you plan your home and office maintenance and upgrade needs.

Heating & Air Conditioning Tips from The U.S. Department of Energy 

• Thoroughly inspect your home for air leaks through gaps in doors, windows or outlets.
• Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust air and heat temperature.
• Make sure all vents and registers are not blocked.
• For maximum efficiency, have your heating and air conditioning system tune up once per year.
• Consider replacing old heating and air conditioning systems with new Energy Saving systems, which are up to 14% more efficient than standard models.
• Wash or replace filters regularly between tune-ups.

 

Plumbing Tips from The U.S. Department of Energy 

• Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.
• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.
• Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F to get comfortable hot water for most uses.
• Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Insulate your natural gas or oil hot-water storage tank but be careful not to cover the water heater’s top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations; when in doubt, get professional help.
• Insulate the first six feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.
• If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or clothes washer, consider buying an efficient, water-saving ENERGY STAR® model to reduce hot water use. See the Appliances section for more information.
• Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss. Most new water heaters have built-in heat traps.
• Drain a quart of water from your water tank every three months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. Follow the manufacturer’s directions.