Name: Bounds Heating & Air
Address: 25645 West, Newberry Road, Newberry, FL, 32669
Telephone: 352-472-2761

5 Smart Ways to Shrink Your Energy Bills This

There are numerous ways to lower your monthly energy bills, but knowing where to start can be a little overwhelming. The smart place to focus for most people are costs associated with heating and cooling. Why? In a typical household, about 33% of the year’s total energy spending goes to heating and cooling costs, accounting for more energy spending than lighting and appliances combined.

Here are five ways to start shrinking your heating and cooling-related energy costs today.

1. Hang Up Energy-Efficient Window Coverings

If some rooms in your home are always much colder or hotter than others, invest in some window treatments that can help even out the temperature, like cellular shades, Roman shades, or thermal curtains. These window treatments act like a layer of insulation that blocks out heat during summer (when you don’t want it) and keeps heat in during winter (when you do want it).

2. Seal Gaps Around Your Doors and Windows

Have you ever wondered why certain rooms or particular places in rooms are so much warmer or cooler than others? The most likely reason is heat loss and gain through air leaks around doors, windows, or both. Take some time this year to weatherseal your windows and exterior doors to lower your energy bills (and help keep the roaches out)!

Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble determining where air leaks are occurring throughout your home, conduct a home energy audit. During a home energy audit, a professional auditor will look at your energy bills, inspect your home’s walls, windows, doors, and insulation, and analyze the main sources of energy loss to help you come up with the best energy-saving solutions to lower your bills.

3. Skip the Heat Settings On Your Clothes Washer and Dishwasher

The last thing we need in our corner of the U.S. is more humidity. Humid air is not only uncomfortable, but it takes longer for your AC to cool. Cut your energy costs year round by washing your laundry in cold water and switching your dishwasher to the no-heat dry cycle. This will reduce the humidity these appliances release into your indoor air.

4. Install a Smart Thermostat

A programmable thermostat allows you to “set it and forget it”–but what if you aren’t sure how best to program the thermostat for the biggest energy savings? That’s where smart thermostats like the Nest come in, with settings and apps that teach you how to program your thermostat to get maximum energy savings. If that sounds too complicated, the Nest can actually program itself after about one week of learning your household routine.

5. Get Your HVAC System Maintained Annually

Without routine maintenance, your heating and cooling system will suffer more and more from problems like dust buildup, loosening parts, and lack of lubrication. This wear and tear takes a toll on the system’s performance, increasing its energy consumption–as well as the chance of it breaking down during periods of heavy use. Repair costs and high energy bills are problems that can cost much more in the long run than routine maintenance appointments.

At Bounds Heating & Air, we provide a wide range of residential HVAC services throughout Gainesville and beyond. Whether it’s preventative maintenance, a repair, or a home energy audit, contact us today online or by phone: (352) 472-2761.

3 Reasons Why the Department of Energy Recommends HVAC Maintenance

While it’s essential to choose the right HVAC system to heat and cool your home efficiently, it’s just as critical to provide your system with the care it needs to operate effectively. According to the Department of Energy:

your air conditioner needs regular maintenance to run smoothly and efficiently;
without maintenance, the equipment will consume more energy while its performance goes downhill.

The same applies to your heating system. Below, we’ll expand on this to give a better understanding of how preventive maintenance benefits you now and in the long run.

1. Your system will run more effectively and with fewer breakdowns.

When your system gets the routine care it needs, its parts undergo less wear and tear and are less likely to loosen, lose lubrication, or scrape together in a way they shouldn’t. During maintenance, the technician also has a chance to spot any potential issues that could lead to a system failure. This allows you to fix a minor problem before it turns into a major one.

2. The system will use less energy.

When your system’s parts lose lubrication, fall out of alignment, and accumulate dust and grime, the system as a whole operates less efficiently. This means that the equipment has to work harder and consume more energy to make your home comfortable. This also makes your HVAC system more expensive to operate.

Your air conditioner’s evaporator coil and condenser coil are especially prone to collecting dust that hampers the cooling process. Similarly, your furnace’s burner and heat exchanger can also collect dust that inhibits the heating process. It’s important to get these parts cleaned annually to keep your energy costs low.

3. Your system will last longer.

If you remember how much you spent to install your HVAC system, you’re probably in no hurry to replace it. Preventative maintenance is the best way to extend the equipment’s lifespan because, as mentioned above, it reduces the wear and tear on the system’s parts.

For thorough, reliable HVAC maintenance, you can count on our expert technicians at Bounds Heating & Air. Give us a call at (352) 472-2761 or contact us online.

Smart Homes: How They Work and Why They’re the Future

Smart technology has become a mainstay in our daily lives. We have smartphones, smart appliances, smart cars, and even smart homes. Smart homes primarily feature appliances, electronics, or other home products enabled with technology that automate tasks. You will also be able to control and monitor these systems using WiFi-enabled devices such as a smartphone or a tablet. Many of these technologies can help to simplify life in your Gainesville, Florida, home.

Security and Safety

Smart home technology that revolves around security includes remote video surveillance using equipment that streams to your Internet-enabled device. These systems give you the instant ability to monitor your home even when you are away. There are also smart alarm systems and smart doors that lock and unlock in response to your commands.

Convenience and Comfort

Smart homes are all about convenience and comfort. Many smart TVs, for example, have voice control. You can give them verbal commands instead of having to make manual changes or use your remote. Smart thermostats allow you to adjust the temperature according to your schedule. Some smart thermostats even learn your preferences and adjust automatically to them. These innovations can provide valuable statistics and usage reports. Other smart innovations for home convenience and comfort include remote pet feeders or app-controlled lighting.

Energy-Efficiency and Sustainability

Many of these innovations feature resource conservation. Smarter appliances are more energy-efficient — they use less fuel or electricity to produce the same or more powerful results. Smarter washers or showerheads use less water. Modern thermostats are designed to be more energy-efficient.

As more products are created to lower home energy costs, conserve energy, and increase the quality of life, they will attract more homeowners, and, pretty soon, smart homes will become a common reality.

Give Bounds Heating & Air a call today at 352-472-2761 to ask about smart HVAC upgrades for your home or business. We can provide solutions for your current system, or help you to select the ideal upgrade. Contact your Bounds HVAC pro for more information.

Make the Most of the Fall Season With These Home Maintenance Tasks

If spring is the time for cleaning, fall is the time for maintenance and reviewing home preparedness for inclement weather. Read through this fall home maintenance checklist to shore up the energy efficiency of your Gainesville area home.

Fall Home Maintenance

Whether you start from the bottom up, top-down or somewhere in between, make a list of the fall home maintenance tasks you would like to accomplish and then get started!

Air filter: Topping the list is checking the air filter. The air filter is a simple, yet vital component of the HVAC system. The air filter protects HVAC components from dust buildup, which hinders cooling and heating performance, increases system wear, and drives up energy bills.
Ventilation: Clean all ventilating devices in the home, which may include a kitchen fan, bathroom fan, dryer vent, and return grille.
Sealing: If you notice drafts in your home or rooms and spots that are more difficult to keep cool in the cooling months, you can count on these areas to be too cold during the heating months. Sealing air leaks helps get rid of hot/cold spots in the home, saves energy, and boosts comfort. Common air leaks are found around windows and doors; use caulk and weatherstripping for these areas. Check the attic door for a tight seal. Foam weather strips are excellent for stopping air infiltration between the attic and conditioned spaces.
Insulation: The attic should be insulated to at least R-49, which is approximately 12 inches of insulation. If you need to add more, fiberglass rolls and loose-fill are practical solutions.
Heating system: Schedule a professional tuneup for the heating system. If you use a furnace, your HVAC technician should ensure safe and efficient operation, check flue venting and all carbon monoxide detectors.
Backup power: Our central Florida region is always at risk of severe storms. A vital part of home preparedness is a backup generator. Also, make sure you have extra bottled water, dry foods, and canned goods on hand.

If you would like more tips and information about fall home maintenance, please call Bounds Heating & Air.

Reduce Home Heat Loss and Increase Home Comfort in Your Florida Home

When you take the steps to reduce home heat loss in your Florida home, you’ll simultaneously benefit from whole-home comfort, as well as reduced utility and HVAC repair costs. The more your home is susceptible to heat loss, the harder your heating system has to work to keep you comfortable. Plus, the same steps you take now to reduce heat loss will also work to prevent heat gain once air conditioning season begins.

4 Ways to Reduce Heat Loss

The following are four steps you can take to reduce home heat loss and begin saving money:

Seal the leaks. Anywhere there’s an air leak in your home, warm conditioned air will make its way to the cooler outside environment. This becomes a major source of energy waste. Use caulking to seal cracks or gaps in your exterior walls, paying special attention to where the siding meets the foundation and roof and exterior penetrations caused by electrical and plumbing work. Once you’ve finished caulking, inspect the weatherstripping around doors and windows and replace any that appear worn or no longer form a tight seal.
Upgrade insulation. Unless you live in a newer home, verify that your insulation meets current energy efficiency standards. If not, you’ll want to upgrade the insulation in your attic, crawl spaces and basement to start. If you can afford it, also augment the insulation in your exterior walls. Use the guidelines listed on this map of Recommended Levels of Insulation. The Gainesville area is located in Zone 2.
Update your windows. If you can’t afford to replace your windows, start making a plan to replace a few at a time with their energy-efficient counterparts.
Observe routine HVAC maintenance. Your HVAC equipment is also prone to heat loss via leaky or uninsulated ductwork and dirty filters. Observing routine maintenance appointments will make sure that small problems are addressed before they become a source of significant energy loss or unnecessary repair or replacement costs.

Contact the HVAC professionals at Bounds Heating & Air to schedule a home energy auditor to learn more ways to reduce home heat loss.

Category: Home Maintenance