Winter Electrical Needs
As summer in the Valley area has eased into less-summer weather, let’s also do a few things in our home to prepare for the advent of winter. In the electrical business, we see a lot of deferred maintenance that can prevent a home from being as comfortable and efficient as it could be. We urge you to consider the following items to add to your comfort:
Replace the HVAC filter
During the summer, our electrical systems work so hard, it seems like winter would be a ‘breeze’ for them, but surprisingly, heating a house is a busy job, too. So, continue to change your filter once a month, especially if you have pets, people with respiratory conditions, or live in a particularly dusty neighborhood.
Caulking
If you have an older home, an astonishing amount of heat is lost through poorly sealed window frames. This article gives an excellent run-down on window sealing. Once these cracks or sealed, it will not only make the rooms more comfortable, but you’ll also see a difference in your electric bill.
Smart control
A Smart thermostat, if you don’t already have one, can work with the ebb and tide of your comings and goings. A Smart thermostat creates a customized temperature program designed with your lifestyle needs in mind. If you happen to be going away for the weekend or won’t be home until later than usual, you can control the temperature from your cell phone, rather than heating and cooling an empty house.
Reverse the ceiling fans
Ceiling fans have a switch that will change the blade direction from counterclockwise, which pushes the air downward, to the clockwise direction, which pulls the air upward. This updraft causes the warm air on the ceiling back down the walls of the room into the presence of the room’s occupants. If you need a ceiling fan, we can install that.
Review the winter electrical appliances
When you get out those space heaters and electric blankets, check each one carefully to make sure the cords are safe and without bunched or twisted wires, cracks, or defects. Electric blankets should be thrown away if they are more than ten years old. We recommend only using an electric blanket to warm the bed before sleep: after you climb into bed, shut it off. The bed will stay cozy, but the danger of shock or fire is minimized. Once a person is sleeping, the body becomes acclimated to the cooling temperature, which has some health benefits, as well.
Schedule a fall HVAC or furnace inspection
A winter system inspection, whether you have a furnace or an HVAC, will keep your system working correctly and at maximum efficiency. No one wants to pay more than they should for home comfort. As the largest electrical consumer of your home, a heating and cooling system that has been well-maintained will cost less in energy consumption.
Zimmerman Electric is here to serve your residential and commercial electrical needs throughout the Phoenix Valley metro area. Call us today if you need electrical work performed 602-497-3365.
