10 Tips To Help You Avoid Costly Heating and Cooling in McKinney, TX

McKinney residents know what the hot, muggy summers are like and the cold, windy winters. Not every McKinney home is adequately equipped with energy efficient HVAC systems. Heating and cooling are essential elements to our homes, providing us with comfort and safety, which is necessary for a healthy lifestyle. When your furnace and air conditioner are in working order, it’s hard not to take them for granted. We forget to schedule their annual maintenance until something goes wrong or we notice a spike in our energy bill.

Heating and cooling in McKinney are made easy with our Aire Serv of McKinney professionals. We are a locally owned and operated business and are proud to be your first-choice AC and heating company. Our high-quality workmanship and reliable customer service team are all committed to excellence, courtesy, integrity and availability—serving you 24/7 in case of any emergency.

How To Avoid Costly Heating and Cooling in McKinney, TX?

McKinney homeowners know that they are responsible for their home’s upkeep and maintenance, including keeping an eye on their energy bills. Home utility costs never come cheap, especially if your systems aren’t optimized or well-maintained. Americans spend over $3000 on utility, of which almost 50 percent goes to heating and cooling.

Many things can go wrong with our HVAC system. You might not always pay attention to your thermostat, or you’re ignoring strange noises coming from your unit. Our goal is to help you guard against unexpected mishaps.

There are many measures you can take to control your home’s temperature and avoid monthly costs.

1. Adjust Your Thermostat

Winter nights are cold, which is why your furnace will work hard to keep your home at the desired temperature set on the thermostat. According to the US Department of Energy, the standard is usually 68 °F. We suggest turning it down by one or two degrees when you go to bed or work, as it will still remain sufficiently warm. You can easily save one percent per one degree Fahrenheit for every eight-hour period, which can lower your energy bill by ten percent.

Summer can be a bit more tricky because a standard cooling system uses 3000 to 3500 watts per hour and can cost McKinney residents up to $210 per month. Hot Texan weather is able to damage your home’s foundation, roof, pipes and hardwood floors, leading to ongoing maintenance and repairs.

But we don’t want to keep the AC running throughout the day when we’re at work. We recommend installing a programmable smart thermostat to tackle this dilemma, which works for both heating and cooling systems. This way, you can keep the temperature suitable for your home while you’re not there.

2. Secure Your Windows and Doors

Air leaks are a common nuisance, but it’s not as drastic that you need to replace or upgrade your existing windows and doors right away. That said, if you feel uncomfortable drafts or hot air seeping through, you might have overall insulation problems in your floors and ceilings, which you should investigate first.

If your windows really are the culprit, you should consider air sealing them with caulk and reglaze loose windowpanes. That should protect your home from heated air escaping in the winter or heated air entering in the summer. Installing drapes or roller blinds will also reduce heat entering your home.

You can weatherproof your exterior doors and make them airtight by applying foam insulation. Other ways include caulking any side of your door trims and applying metal tension strips to fit the jambs. Or simply reexamine your door frame, shims and hinges and reset or replace these parts if required. Securing your windows and doors can increase your energy savings to 30 percent.

3. Open Or Close Fire Damper

Older homes enjoy the usefulness and aesthetics of fireplaces. Although they’re an excellent source of heat, there are some safety hazards to bear in mind. An open fire damper (or chimney damper) is like an open window, inviting cold air into the house when your fire is out. It’s important you close it when not using the fireplace and to remember to open it before you light a fire. You will find the chimney damper in the flue.

Other ways include installing an airtight glass door around your fireplace or investing in a chimney balloon, which is an inflatable device placed in your flue to block cold air from entering. It also prevents debris and minimizes noise from outside.

4. Don’t Obstruct Air Vents & Radiators

Your HVAC system catches exterior air to either warm it or cool it for your house. It needs airflow to distribute that desired air properly; therefore, don’t block any air vents even if they don’t look nice.

With blocked vents, your heating and cooling system still distributes the same amount of air through the ducts. This could build pressure in the system, forcing your heater to work harder or even shut off. As a rule of thumb, all vents should be open, even in unused rooms—just a gap will help balance airflow throughout your home.

Similar to having a boiler that distributes hot water via radiators. In most cases, it’s safe to cover your radiator with cotton materials like a sheet, towel or blanket as they only ever reach about 220 °F. But do not place synthetic materials like polyester on it because it can melt and cause damage to the radiator’s surface. Alternatively, scientists warn that drying clothes on radiators could encourage mold growth in your home and trigger respiratory problems.

5. Make Use of Your Ceiling Fans

Who knew that ceiling fans could also benefit McKinney homeowners in the winter? Simple physics could save you 15 percent on your energy bill.

When it’s summer, you should set your ceiling fans counterclockwise, which will bring cool air down and lower the overall temperature by six degrees Fahrenheit. This way, you don’t need to reduce your AC’s temperature.

You can avoid costly heating in the winter by changing your fan’s rotation clockwise and setting it low. This is how you bring warm air down that has risen to the ceiling. The nature of hot air is that it rises into your attic. If your home is exceptionally hot in the summer or cold in the winter, inspecting your attic’s insulation and equipping it with attic exhaust fans would be an option.

Ensure that your ceiling fans have the right functions so that you can conveniently use them during both seasons. Your experienced team at Aire Serv of McKinney can inspect your current ones and help you optimize their functions. To avoid costly McKinney heating and cooling bills, we have systems to reduce temperature extremes and energy costs.

6. Choose Geothermal Heating and Cooling

Aire Serv of McKinney offers this system to help you save on energy bills and energy consumption. This energy resource is often overlooked because we are too focused on the fluctuating temperatures outside.

There is steady heat underneath our homes that we can utilize for the winter and summer. The geothermal system is tuned to circulate heat between your house and the ground during winter. And like a heat pump, it brings up warmth from the ground and distributes it throughout your house.

You can use our geothermal system in reverse in the summer. It sucks up hot air in your house and cools it underground. A fluid creates this heat transfer or cooler refrigerant, which circulates throughout your house, allowing cool air to blow through.

Since the geothermal system, homeowners have reduced costly heating and cooling in McKinney by 80 percent. It’s hassle-free, requires no burning of fossil fuels, and you can use it year-round and collect local rebates and tax credits.

7. Use Electric Space Heaters For Small Spaces

They are great for some extra warmth and can save you on gas, which costs more than electricity. They are also ideal if you want to heat a specific room or area rather than the whole house.

You can purchase eco-friendly and energy-efficient ones if you only want them to run a couple of hours a day—most are portable and convenient.

That said, space heaters do cause around 30 percent of home fires and carbon monoxide poisoning, particularly gas-powered or kerosene ones. We advise not to run them overnight and remember to keep them clear from curtains and other flammable materials.

8. Have an Energy Audit

If it’s difficult for you to determine your home’s overall energy usage, one of our certified specialists can conduct an energy audit. They assess your lifestyle, needs and day-to-day pattern for both winter and summer. They will also inspect and measure your home’s insulation, structure and other components to help you reduce heating and cooling costs in McKinney.

We will make suggestions to improve your energy efficiency and help you implement them with our best methods available.

9. Replace Your Filter

We left some of the most important tips to last because we want to remind our fellow McKinney residents to use their HVAC systems responsibly and raise awareness of some DIY-friendly maintenance that you can do.

This includes changing your air filter regularly, especially during seasons of peak use. Congested filters restrict airflow into your heating and cooling system, forcing it to work harder to warm the house. Catching dust and allergens can cause clogs over time and cause your HVAC system to shut off. Depending on filter type, some are disposable and others are reusable.

Check your AC unit for additional filters to clean. Often, you can vacuum or wipe them down with a microfiber cloth.

Regular filter changes can lower your energy consumption to ten percent. If you are unsure where your air filter is and which replacement size to get, our technicians at Aire Serv of McKinney will happily help and show you how to change it in the future. Have your questions ready!

10. Schedule Your Annual HVAC Maintenance

If you want to avoid costly heating and cooling in McKinney, the best way to keep your system running smoothly is through regular maintenance. Along with your filter changes, it’s important you pay attention to your home’s insulation, water heater and other systems

If you schedule an annual appointment with a specialist, they will conduct necessary furnace cleaning services, ensuring your vents, ducts and blower are in decent condition. This way, you can rest assured your air circulation is flawless.

Aire Serv of McKinney Emergency HVAC Services

Whether your heating and cooling system break down during the worst time of day or during extreme weather conditions, we provide emergency HVAC services with upfront pricing and no overtime charges.

Our goal is to ensure you’re safe and comfortable with a well-balanced temperature at home. From Mckinney heating repair service to air conditioner replacement, we are here 24/7 to help McKinney homeowners, whether on nights, weekends or holidays.

Contact Aire Serv of McKinney for Efficient McKinney HVAC Systems

Whether you’re in McKinney or another nearby community such as Prosper, or Melissa, you can count on our reliable HVAC experts. We have years of experience handling water heaters, HVACs and furnaces. We’re proud to provide expert heating and cooling services to the residents of McKinney.

Pick up the phone and give us a call today to schedule a convenient appointment time or to speak with our friendly office staff and learn more about what we can do to make your home more comfortable and efficient.