We've received several calls this winter about rising utility costs. People have been concerned because they're seeing upwards of $400-$500 electric bills. Yikes! We'd like to share some tips on what you can do to find out if you're experiencing "normal" bills or if there might be a problem causing them to be high.
There are things that can be done to your home to increase efficiency. These things include insulating, caulking, checking for drafty areas, etc. For our purposes now though, we're going to assume that your house is in the same condition this year as it's been in prior years.
So, is your electric bill high or might there be an HVAC problem?
First things first, call your utility company. Ask what the neighborhood average is and compare to your bill. Ask if the kilowatt rate has changed. Ask if the therm rates have changed. This will give you a good idea on whether your bill is comparable to that of your neighbors. It'll also make you aware of rate increases that have happened which could contribute to higher bills from previous years.
If your electric bill is higher than the neighborhood average, here are some other things to consider:
If you are all electric, you should have a heat pump and electric furnace (also called an electric air handler). This is the most efficient type of HVAC system to have in an all electric house. Many people set their programmable thermostat to be one temperature during the day and another at night. If you are all electric, do not set the temperature difference to be more than 3-4 degrees apart. Larger temperature differences will cause the back-up electric to come on to supplement the heat pump. It's costly to run the auxiliary heat. The savings that you are getting from the lower temperature is being offset (or costing more) by the back-up electric running to catch up.
Do you change your filter regularly? How long has it been since your furnace has been cleaned and tuned? Dirty filters restrict air flow and cause the system to run longer to heat the house. This causes a higher electric bill. Dirty filters over a period of time or a lack of filters at all can result in dirty coils. A dirty coil can also restrict air flow. If the heat pump isn't working, the electric furnace is running by itself to heat the house. It's expensive to run an electric furnace by itself. The average amp draw on a heat pump is 6-15 amps. The average amp draw on an electric furnace with a 10kw auxiliary heat kit is 41-44 amps. That's a big difference which is why you want your heat pump running efficiently.
Do you keep registers closed throughout the house? If there's a temperature difference between the upstairs and downstairs, for example, people tend to close the registers in a room or area of the house. Do not close registers. This can also restrict air flow, causing the system to overheat and short cycle. This means the furnace will be shutting down and turning back on more than it should be, which uses more electricity and costs you more.
One more thing to keep in mind. Some people have a high efficient heat pump system and then are surprised by their electric bills when it's really cold outside. They get a high bill and think...but I just got a high efficient system. Heat pumps are most efficient in the heating season when it's between 35-60 degrees outside. In Indiana, it's not unusual to have 0-20 degree days (or weeks). When it's that cold outside, heat pumps need the auxiliary heat from the electric furnace to keep up. The heat pump can't keep up by itself meaning you're losing that efficiency rating because the electric furnace is doing most of the work. It's costly to run auxiliary heat compared to a heat pump or gas furnace. If you buy a high seer heat pump, it's important to understand that the seer rating is mainly for the summer months.
We hope this has been helpful! If you continue to have high electric bills, give us a call. Maybe there's a problem with the heat pump causing the auxiliary heat to run more than it should. Maybe there's a bank of heat not working in the electric furnace. It's worth checking out, especially if those high electric bills are causing you a lot of stress!
There's a common passion among all of us at LCS Heating and Cooling. Well, in addition to home comfort and the mechanics of HVAC that is! The common passion is animals. We love dogs, we love cats, one of our techs even has a rabbit! We're just animal people. It never surprises me to get a random picture throughout the day of a dog or cat. It's usually a customer's pet that Travis takes a picture of and says- check this little one out! One of our installers even sent a picture of a customer's pet turtle that hung out in the backyard with them while they changed the heat pump. So, where are we going with this?
We were all talking a few weeks ago about wanting to have some "community projects." We're excited to tell you about our first one! One of our customers is Freeland Animal Hospital (www.freelandanimalhospital.com). They are located at Pendleton Pike and Sunnyside in Indianapolis. They are fantastic people and care so well for their furry clients! Each year, they have an Angel Tree in which they accept donations of dog and cat food, treats and supplies. All donations then go to a local rescue. This year the local rescue is PAWS (http://www.pawshancock.org), located in Greenfield.
Now through the end of the year, LCS Heating and Cooling, LLC has the following "Promotion" going on:
**For each new customer that signs up for Annual Maintenance (our Energy Savings Plan), we will donate a bag of dog or cat treats. Here's the link for more information about our Energy Savings Plan for your HVAC equipment: https://lcstempsite.dreamhosters.com/esp.html
**For each new furnace install, we will donate a 5lb bag of dog or cat food.
**For each new full system install (furnace & air conditioner), we will donate a 15lb bag of dog or cat food.
Will it be dog or cat food? The choice is yours!!
We are so excited to help a local rescue that helps so many dogs and cats each year. Who do you know that's thinking about having some HVAC work done? We greatly appreciate your referrals and personal business. The animals will too!
We get lots of questions regarding HVAC maintenance. This is a good thing! It means people care about their HVAC investment. Since we're entering air conditioner season, let's focus on questions relating to air conditioner maintenance:
- What is air conditioner maintenance? Preventative maintenance is completed on the a/c to ensure that it is running properly and as efficiently as possible. The air conditioner is cleaned and there are many components that are checked. If a reading is off or out of range, the homeowner will be made aware. Keeping the air conditioner clean also ensures proper air flow.
- Can I turn my air conditioner on before maintenance has been completed? Yes! The air conditioner can certainly run before maintenance is done. Keep in mind that maintenance keeps it running as efficiently as possible.
- What months do you schedule maintenance? We generally start scheduling maintenance mid-April, depending on the weather, and continue to schedule throughout the summer. It's more important that maintenance is done each year rather than it being done a specific week or month.
- Can the service be completed if it's raining? We will reschedule your maintenance appointment if it's raining or below 60-65 degrees outside. Although the techs do have raincoats, we don't want some of the tools and gauges out in the rain. We also don't want your a/c exposed to the moisture. The new R-410 refrigerant attracts moisture 10 times more than the old R-22 refrigerant. We don't like to take chances, so we'll always reschedule if it's raining. In addition to being dry outside, it also needs to be at least 60-65 degrees outside. If it's colder than that, the temperature drop and readings could be inaccurate. Accuracy is key, so we will reschedule if it's too chilly outside.
- How will I know what the technician does during the service? The technician will complete an invoice detailing everything that was completed during the maintenance service. He will also let you know how everything looked and answer any questions you have about your system.
- How much does an annual maintenance plan cost? Our plan is $150 per year. That includes the maintenance service on the a/c in the spring or summer and the maintenance service on the furnace in the fall/winter. Other benefits included with the plan are: No service call if a return visit is needed within 30 days, $10 off service call, 15% off repairs, 15% off indoor air quality (humidifiers, filters, thermostats, UV lights, etc) and no overtime rates if service is needed in an evening, weekend or holiday.
- Does maintenance guarantee that my air conditioner will not break down? Air conditioners are machines and can break down at any time. That being said, there are issues that can be found during maintenance and either repaired at that time or at least brought to the homeowner's attention. For example, the technician may see that a motor reading is in range, but on the high end. While it doesn't necessarily need replaced at that time, the homeowner can be made aware that the motor is on it's way out. It could last another week or it could last another 6 months. In any case, the homeowner is now aware.
- Will you change my filter while you're here doing maintenance? Absolutely! If you already have filters, we will gladly change it for you. If you don't have filters, we can provide you with the price to bring one with us. We also have an online filter program in which we can provide you with a code to order your filters online and have them delivered to your door. Shipping is free and you'll always have your filters on hand.
- What if I have two HVAC systems at my house? We can put each system on the annual maintenance plan. We'll schedule a longer period of time to be at your house to complete maintenance on both air conditioners (and same in the fall/winter for the furnaces). The second system would be $10 off ($150/$140 for two plans).
- Do I need to be home when you do the air conditioner maintenance? Preferably, yes. We will need access to the thermostat and furnace area so will need inside the house. If you have a lockbox or garage code, we can enter that way but always prefer having someone home so the technician can answer any questions while he's there.
Hopefully, we answered some of your questions about air conditioner maintenance! If not, feel free to contact us as we're happy to discuss.
We've had one of the coldest winters on record here in Indianapolis so it seems everyone has spring fever! With the arrival of spring comes a whole checklist of home maintenance items just waiting to be done. Here's a list of items that you can do around your home
to tidy up and get ready for summer:
- Schedule air conditioner maintenance (you knew this would be #1 on our list, right?)
- Change the filter
- Install new batteries in thermostat
- Install new batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Test and dust all detectors
- Check fire extinguishers
- Inspect bathroom, kitchen, door and window caulk; re-caulk as needed
- Clean and seal deck if needed
- Inspect exterior paint and touch up as needed
- Inspect siding/masonry for damage
- Repair/replace damaged window screens
- Inspect roof for damage
- Inspect outdoor play equipment
- Inspect attic for leaks
- Inspect attic insulation
- Clean gutters
- Prune spring and summer- flowering shrubs after they bloom
- Schedule yearly septic tank inspection
- Schedule irrigation inspection
- Inspect foundation for drainage problems
- Inspect crawl space/basement for moisture issues
Preventive maintenance goes a long way. Monitoring items such as these can prevent big problems in the future! Enjoy spring!