Energy Efficient HVAC Tips to Save Money this Winter

Despite the recent heat wave suggesting otherwise, winter is officially here. Tis the season for high utility bills. As business owners and property managers, this is the time of year you dread. In order to keep your employees, customers, and clients happy, you crank up the heat. Your building occupants will love you; your wallet not so much. Heating a building can be quite expensive. Fortunately, there are several ways to cut costs, without sacrificing comfort.

Energy Efficient Practices for Office Buildings

1. Check windows and doors for drafts. Nothing can cause your utility bills to rise quite like a drafty building. Sealing and insulating air leaks can greatly improve the energy efficiency of your building and HVAC system.
2. Don’t lose control of the thermostat. During the winter, your building thermostat should be set between 65 degrees and 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Consider installing a programmable thermostat to further improve energy efficiency and comfort. Heating your building at night or on the weekends makes no sense financially. Still, no one wants to enter a cold building ever morning. The solution: a programmable thermostat. This allows you to adjust space temperature based on occupancy, raising and lowering the temperature when appropriate.
4. Utilize the economizer setting on your HVAC unit whenever possible.
5. HVAC preventive maintenance can also help you avoid unreasonably high energy bills, unplanned repairs, and early equipment replacement.

Energy Efficient Tips for Combustion Systems

1. Are combustion burners running at the correct air to fuel ratio?
2. Build up on heat transfer surfaces, such as heat exchangers, burners, etc., can hinder energy transfer and impact efficiency. To combat this, ensure heat transfer surfaces are kept clean.
3. The insulation on combustion equipment helps minimize heat loss. This is why it is important to properly maintain insulation.

Energy Efficient Tips for Steam Generation Systems

1. Check boiler chemistry regularly to minimize boiler blowdown. This will help save natural gas and water.
2. Inspect the system for steam leaks, which represent energy loss and repair the leaks.
3. Maximize condensate recovery.
4. Inspect steam traps to ensure proper operation. Replace or repair failed traps as necessary.

Energy Efficient Tips for Compressed Air Systems

1. Regularly inspect your facility for compressed air leaks and repair all leaks.

Preventive HVAC Maintenance from Crockett Facilities Services, Inc.

Our MSCA GreenSTAR qualified technicians can evaluate your HVAC and mechanical equipment in your commercial office buildings to recommend how to optimize performance and reduce energy consumption. Since 2000, our customers have trusted us to run their commercial buildings, high profile government buildings and mission critical data centers, giving them peace of mind. Start the New Year off right by signing an annual HVAC preventive maintenance agreement, saving you energy costs and avoiding last minute, costly repairs. Contact us for a cost quote.

For more Energy Efficient Business Tips, please contact Crockett Facilities Services by calling 301.262.2771 or email us at sales@crockett-facilities.com. We’re in this Building Together!

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 24th, 2013 at . Both comments and pings are currently closed.