At Magic Touch, we do more for our customers than just sell products and services. We feel it is also important to act as a consultant and help our customers lower their energy costs and improve their quality of life.

With that in mind, here are some heating, cooling, ventilation, and other energy saving tips that you will find comforting in many different ways:

1. Maintain your equipment

Preventive maintenance may seem like a convenience item, but it’s important to understand that paying a little along the way ALWAYS costs less than waiting for an inevitable heating, cooling, or ventilation disaster to happen suddenly. Major equipment failure will happen, and it will sooner and more expensively than if you had kept everything properly inspected, automatically maintained, and running at peak condition by a Magic Touch certified HVAC technician.

2. Use a programmable thermostat

A programmable thermostat ensures that you are not needlessly heating or cooling an empty home. You can set it to higher or lower temperatures when you and your family are away for a day, evening, or extended period – and to have your preferred comfort settings ready a short time before your expected return. Not only will this reduced energy consumption lower your utility bills; it will also extend the lifetime of your equipment. So if you have one already, be sure to use it. And if you do not have one, call Magic Touch to have one installed. Of course, the same applies to offices and business locations.

3. Have Magic Touch conduct a home or building energy audit

While a Magic Touch energy audit may seem like an optional future effort, please consider that every day you put it off represents additional wasted energy (you are paying for) seeping into the Arizona atmosphere, and another day of hot, dusty Arizona air being drawn into your home. This give-and-take created by leaky duct systems, poorly sealed equipment, insufficient insulation, cracks in your roof or attic and around doors and windows, and other culprits can cost you hundreds of dollars in utility bills each year, and take years off the life of your HVAC equipment. So, as you can see, the time to schedule an energy audit with Magic Touch is right now.

4. Upgrade old, yet functioning equipment

If you’ve got some “Old Betsy” heating or cooling equipment that is still chugging along (in other words, more than 10 years old), perhaps you should consider letting us calculate the costs associated with its inferior operation. Non-ENERGY STAR® systems require more energy to operate, which increases your monthly utility bills and adds up annually. And your old system is most likely contributing to inferior indoor air quality by circulating more airborne particulates, allergens, dust, and gases that more modern equipment would filter out or be sealed out already.

5. Change filters regularly

We cover some filter changes and/or cleaning as part of our preventive maintenance visits. Depending on the type of filtration in your home or office, periodic filter changes for your air conditioning and heating system is very important and should not be neglected. By keeping your air filters clean, you will reduce needless strain on your equipment and help to improve the quality of your indoor air.

6. Other ways to save energy costs in the Arizona environment

• Close drapes and blinds on the sunny side of your home or business to reduce the solar heat coming inside, which will now require air conditioning.
• Cover windows with awnings, sunscreens, or reflective film to reduce intense sunlight.
• When repainting your building’s exterior or replacing you roof, use light colors that will reflect heat back into the atmosphere rather than absorb it inside.
• Plant trees near windows that lose their leaves in wintertime, so shade will reduce air conditioning costs, and sunlight will reduce heating costs.
• Install ceiling fans to help you feel cooler at higher thermostat settings.
• Reduce air conditioner strain by doing moisture-producing activities (washing clothes or dishes, showers and baths, etc.) in the early morning or at night.
• Make sure to turn off your heat pump or air conditioning before you open doors and windows for fresh air.
• Set your thermostat as high as you can comfortably stand. For every higher degree, you can save 2%-3% on the air conditioning portion of your utility bill.
• Install automatic door closers for any outside-facing doors.
• If you have a fireplace, close the (cooled) damper whenever the fireplace is not in use.
• Repair any leaky faucets – especially those that provide hot water.
• Install aerators on your kitchen and bathroom faucets.
• Use the exhaust fan over your stove to remove heat and moisture, but turn if off when you are done cooking.
• Cook outdoors on a barbecue to keep stove heat out of your kitchen.
• Make sure your refrigerator is set between 38°–42° and your freezer to 0°–5 °. If set 10° colder than necessary, you can increase energy consumption by 25%.
• Defrost your refrigerator/freezer whenever it has ¼” of frost. Clean the condenser coils every two months.
• If you only use a second refrigerator occasionally, don’t keep it running continually. Also, it is much more expensive to run it in a garage or other space that is not air conditioned.
• Place only cooled leftovers in your refrigerator. Cover liquids, because they emit vapors that add to the compressor’s workload. And defrost foods in the refrigerator rather than on the counter or in the microwave – the coldness will help your refrigerator stay cold without paying for the boost with energy.
• Set your water heater to 120°.
• Heat or bake small amounts of food in a toaster oven or microwave, rather than your stove.
• Clean your lint filter after every dryer load.
• Use cold water for wash and rinse cycles when possible.
• Turn off – and unplug – computers, copiers, printers, etc., when not in use.
• A short shower uses 1/3 the amount of water required for a tub bath.
• Run the exhaust fan or open a window while bathing to remove humidity.

To discuss the many ways we can help you lower energy costs in your home or business, contact Magic Touch today!