More and more people are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
For homeowners, the largest energy draw—and greatest expense—is the air conditioner and heating systems. For Oklahoma homeowners, about 60% of our household utility costs goes to keep us cool in summer and warm in winter, says Brian Porch, founder and owner of Norman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.
Norman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing recently launched a program that is aimed at providing area homeowners with the highest-efficiency air conditioner possible—which lowers energy costs and thus one’s carbon footprint—at a set monthly cost.
“The main focus of the American Standard System Care Program is to give homeowners a chance to get the most efficient system affordably at a fixed monthly cost,” Brian says. “We offer a 10-year program which includes the cost of the new system, all repairs and all maintenance including filters. The system, which has a high SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) can lower homeowners’ carbon footprint while lowering their monthly utility bills by as much as 40%. In addition, they gain peace of mind knowing that for those 10 years, they will incur no out-of-pocket repair cost. There’s an added savings when you figure in rising utility costs. No other heat and air company in Norman offers this program.”
Brian offers several other tips to help homeowners lower their monthly air conditioning costs while keeping their unit functioning at its peak for the duration of its lifetime (which is about 12 years):
- Change the filter regularly; this usually means monthly, but depends on the type of filter
- Schedule annual tune-ups; Norman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing offers three levels of maintenance programs, plus the new American Standard System Care Program mentioned above
- Replace your air conditioner when it begins to lose efficiency (most units, Porch says, lose efficiency in 10 to 12 years)
- Set your thermostat to 78 degrees F. (U.S. Department of Energy recommendation), 7 to 10 degrees higher when you will be gone for several hours or days
- Install window treatments that block sunlight and prevent heat from entering through your windows
- Install fresh or replace old weather stripping and caulk around doors and windows to keep your home sealed
- Limit use of appliances that generate heat, like the oven and stove, until after 8 p.m. (summers, grill outside as much as possible)
- Install ceiling fans to increase cooling efficiency
On a final "green" note, Brian advises homeowners who still have an old AC unit that uses R22 Freon (which was found to have negative environmental effects) to start planning to buy a new one. This year, he notes, the government has finally banned its production after several years of phasing it out.
Norman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, founded in 2008, enjoys a 4.9 (out of 5.0) Google Review rating with over 640 reviews. Visit NormanAir.com to learn more.