Programmed to Save Money: How to Purchase and Use a Programmable Thermostat

Posted on by

Picture of a Thermostat - Have You Placed Yours in The Right Spot?Would you give 15 minutes of your time in return for $180? Unless you’re the baby in those Jimmy Fallon commercials, you’d jump at the chance for such easy money.

The average household in the United States spends more than $2,200 on their energy bills each year. About $1,100 of that goes to your heating and cooling. That’s a huge part of your household utility budget, so how to do cut it down to size? One of the easiest and the cheapest ways to reduce your heating and cooling bills is to install and set a programmable thermostat.

Programmable thermostats allow you to automate the regulation of the temperature of your house, even when you’re not there.

What to Look For When Buying a Programmable Thermostat
1. The most important thing to consider is whether the thermostat is compatible with your current furnace and air conditioning system
2. Make sure it has the EPA Energy Star Label on it
3. Look for a thermostat that has preprogrammed settings to maximize your savings
4. A good thermostat will have a hold or vacation feature to override your settings when you plan on being away for an extended period of time
5. Some thermostats, such as Lux, provide a lockout feature to keep children from tampering with the setting.

Where to Install your Thermostat
Ideally, you want to install your programmable thermostat in an area that doesn’t receive heat from direct sources or near cold drafts.

How to Install a Thermostat

How to Set Your Programmable Thermostat

Tips on Setting Your Programmable Thermostat Schedule
1. During winter, drop the temperature 8° while away or asleep
2. During summer, raise the temperature up 7° while away or asleep
3. Resist the urge to use the “hold” button. Only use the hold or the vacation feature when you are going to be away from the house for extended periods of time
4. Change the battery in your thermostat once a year

Read More

Are you programmed to save money? If so, the programmable thermostat is an easy way to save money. If you prefer a professional to install or set your stat, Haley Mechanical will be happy to help. Schedule an appointment with one of our technicians today!

Join our Facebook discussion to get helpful tips daily!

Geothermal Customers Put Haley Mechanical Over-the-Top in Sales in 2011…Recognized at Annual WF Sales Meeting!

Posted on by
Waterfurnace give's Thomas Poole of Haley Mechanical a sales award

(L to R) is Waterfurnace Senior VP of Sales & Marketing--Michael Albertson, President & CEO--Tom Huntington and Chairman of the Board--Tim Shields

Waterfurnace held their annual sales meeting in Orlando, FL. recently and Haley Mechanical was  recognized by Waterfurnace for being one of top sales & installation GEO-PRO DEALERS for 2011!

Accepting on behalf of the entire Haley Mechanical staff is Sales Consultant (Holding Award) Thomas Poole. Also pictured (L to R) is Waterfurnace Senior VP of Sales & Marketing–Michael Albertson, President & CEO–Tom Huntington and Chairman of the Board–Tim Shields.

 

Congratulations to Haley Mechanical and its entire TEAM for a job well done…and a BIG thanks to our outstanding CUSTOMERS!

 

The High Cost of Cheap Parts

Posted on by

Person sticking a credit card into a computer.According to The Pew Internet and American Life Project (a “nonprofit “fact tank” that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.”), two-thirds of online U.S. citizens have purchased a product online.

The comfort of a low-pressure shopping experience and low prices are enough to entice you to make purchases you might otherwise have left to professionals. Is this a good move though?

Here are a few reasons to have your equipment installed by a professional HVAC contractor:

  1. Your home comfort system is a big investment. For new installations, Haley Mechanical will do a duct analysis, load-calculations and comfort analysis to insure you are receiving the best equipment for your needs.
  2. Sure, the cost online looks enticing, right? Installation of equipment is far more difficult than you think; an incorrect installation almost always leads to problems down the road.
  3. The biggest problem with buying equipment or parts over the internet is that most parts are only covered by a warranty when you purchase them from a dealer. Even if you purchase them from a dealer, the warranty is usually only valid if they are installed by a licensed contractor.

Haley Mechanical services Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Dexter, Chelsea, Saline, Milan, Manchester, Pinckney, Jackson, Grass Lake, Howell, Whitmore Lake, Brighton, South Lyon and Gregory. Contact us today to discuss your next project with a comfort advisor.

Photo Credit

Are You Tricking Your Thermostat Into Wasting Money?

Posted on by

Picture of a Thermostat - Have You Placed Yours in The Right Spot?If your thermostat is placed near heat-producing devices, like a lamp or television set, or if your thermostat is in direct sunlight, your furnace and air conditioner may be running more often than it should. Heat rising from the equipment could make the thermostat read a temperature that isn’t the true house temperature. (Picture Credit)

Keeping up with the Joneses…Energy Savings Edition

Posted on by

Pictures of Utility MetersOpower, a company that ‘works with utilities to help their customers make smarter decisions about their energy use’, has recently partnered with Facebook to bring energy conservation to the social scene. You can use their site to see how your energy bills rank among your Facebook friends and others around the country. So, how does this work?

You start by going to the new Opower social site, log in with your Facebook account and then follow the prompts. Opower works by connecting to your utility account, but if your utility isn’t listed or if you want to get a rough estimate, you can start by entering your utility bill from last month. The result is a comparison of your rate with the national average of others as well as a comparison with your Facebook friends. Opower then gives you tips on limiting your consumption, lowering bills and ajoins in the extra incentive of pitting you against friends and family to be the reigning champ of conservation and utility savings.

Using technology to save energy has been a difficult task for utilities. According to PC Magazine, if every household in the U.S. lowered their consumption by 1%, it would save American 1.6 billion. Those numbers are just stunning; furthermore, it’s only possible if we all pitch in. Sound daunting? It’s really quite fun, and who doesn’t like a little bit of extra cash at the end of a friendly challenge?

Photo Courtesy of roberthuffstutter

Is It Time to Kick Your Air Conditioner To The Curb?

Posted on by

Should you replace or fix your air conditioner?It’s a dilemma we’ll all face; like any electronic, it’s a matter of when, and not if, your AC will eventually break down. At what point do you stop repairing and give it an eviction notice instead? Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• What is your home energy yardstick? Use this handy tool (free) from Energy Star to see how your energy consumption measures up to other houses around the country.
• Could you save money by installing a more efficient model? If your air conditioner is more than 10 years old, you could save up to 20% by installing a new unit.
• Is your air conditioner noisy? It could be a problem with the indoor coil, which means it’s time to schedule service.
• Are there tax credits available to sweeten the pie? In Michigan, there are; send us an email to learn more.
• Could it significantly improve your comfort? If it’s not cooling efficiently, why are you paying for it? Don’t sacrifice comfort to keeping an out of date unit around.
• Do you care about the environment? Our federal government has mandated HVAC manufacturers phase out R-22 refrigerant and switch to R-410A, a non-chlorine refrigerant.

Improving your home comfort with central air by Haley MechanicalReplacing an air conditioner can feel overwhelming, but if it improves comfort and lowers your bills, it might just be worth the effort. Make an appointment today to have one of our advisors evaluate your current system.

Haley Mechanical proudly offers high efficient Lennox air conditioning systems; we are a Lennox Premier Dealer.

Get an Affordable Loan with Michigan Saves and Haley Mechanical

Posted on by

Michigan Saves LogoMichigan Saves has teamed up with Haley Mechanical to offer easy, affordable loans for homeowners to make energy efficiency or renewable energy improvements. Combine your Michigan Saves loan with utility rebates and tax credits on qualifying improvements for even more savings.  Learn more by visiting Michigan Saves or contacting Haley Mechanical.

It’s the First Day of Spring!

Posted on by

Picture of a comfortable home ready for spring cleaningThe warm weather has crept up on us quickly this year. Many of you may already be turning your central air on. With spring, comes spring cleaning; here’s what Energy Star recommends for your heating and cooling systems:

Maintain your equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups. Contractors get busy once summer and winter come, so it’s best to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. To remember, you might plan the check-ups around the time changes in the spring and fall.

See the complete list of recommendations and then schedule an appointment for a precision tune-up on your system today!

Photo Credit

DTE Energy Rebates Will Save You Money!

Posted on by

Saving Money Piggy BankDid you know, if you’re a DTE customer, you can receive a rebate check on many products and services we offer?

  • Natural Gas Furnace (95% AFUE or higher, AHRI Rated)……….$400
  • Natural Gas Boiler (92% AFUE or higher, AHRI Rated)……….$450
  • Thermostats (Programmable)……….$10
  • Super High-Efficiency Gas Water Heater (EF 0.67 or higher)……….$75
  • Tankless Gas Water Heater (EF 0.82 or higher)……….$100
  • Furnace Tune-Up with Combustion (Verified to meet program standards)……….$50
Download the complete brochure for more information.

Call Haley Mechanical at 734-424-9170 to schedule your appointment today!

Photo Credit

Window Film is the Most Cost Effective Way to Conserve Energy

Posted on by

Door with window filmThe International Window Film Association (yes, that’s a real organization) released a “comprehensive analysis” that showed window film to be the most cost effective way to conserve energy.

How Much Money Are We Talking?

The return on investment was found to be around two years, and the return, a whopping 70% is nothing to scoff at.

How Does it Help?

Window film blocks solar heat while continuing to allow light in.

Check out the full report to learn more!

Haley Mechanical has been serving Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Dexter, Chelsea, Saline, Milan, Manchester, Pinckney, Jackson, Grass Lake, Howell, Whitmore Lake, Brighton, South Lyon and Gregory since 1998. Call us (734-424-9170) for more ways to save!
Image Credit