Fall & Winter Heating Costs: Ways to Save

It’s no secret that the high cost of heating your home in the fall and winter months can drain out your bank account. As the cost of living continues to climb, you’ve got to be proactive to save on household expenses wherever you can.

We’ve put together a list of low-effort cost saving measures that can get you big results when it comes to reducing your heating costs.

Use the Ceiling Fan

Even though the temperatures are dropping, keep that ceiling fan circulating, although in a clockwise direction. Hot air rises and the ceiling fan is a cost-effective tool to help your rooms heat evenly. This makes your furnace have to produce less heat, which is a bonus for your heating budget.

Time for Furnace Maintenance

Your furnace has been switched off for months, and now is working hard to keep you comfortable at home. It only makes sense to ensure that all of its parts and components are in good shape. Your furnace functions by converting energy (gas, electricity, etc.) to heat and regular maintenance can boost your system’s efficiency.

Stop the Drafts

Make sure your windows are airtight by checking the seals around them. You can easily repair any growing cracks with a caulking gun. Don’t let them grow; you’re literally letting money fly away by letting warm air escape.

Another option is to apply film on the windows. One of the most effective and inexpensive methods is to use a heat shrink film. You attach it to the window frame with double-sided tape and then adhere it directly to the window itself by using a hair dryer to heat it.

Stop Warm Air from Flowing out the Chimney

Your fireplace can be a huge source of heat loss if you’re not careful. A chimney balloon traps warm air as it rises, sending it back down into your home while preventing cold air drafts from entering. Another effective method is to make sure that the damper is securely closed when your fireplace isn’t in use.

Pull Back the Drapes

Harness solar power simply by leaving your curtains open during the day. That sunlight streaming in will help boost the temperature in your room quite a bit.

Raise the Threshold

Is there a gap between your exterior doors and the threshold? This happens over time because of the elements, shifting of the foundation or because of renovations. You can close the gap simply by installing a piece of adjustable threshold, making the doorframe flush with the threshold.

How old is your furnace? There have been many advances in the last few years with energy efficient heating systems. It might be the right time to invest in an upgrade to save you money on heating. Call Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical, in East Lansing, MI, today at (517)-339-6300 for more information.

5 Reasons to Get Professional Furnace Maintenance

When was the last time that you gave your furnace some attention? During the busy autumn season it can be easy to let maintaining your home’s heating system fall by the wayside, but scheduling your annual furnace inspectionis one of the most important things you can do to guarantee your comfort during the winter months.

Why schedule furnace maintenance this month? Take a look at these five great reasons:

1. Colder Days are Ahead

We know that winter brings the coldest months of the year, and with colder days and even colder nights we’ll be depending on our furnaces to keep us warm and cozy indoors.

However, if you’re cranking up the furnace to compensate for the cooler temperatures, it’s important to make sure that it is in perfect working condition.

2. Your Furnace Hasn’t Been Used in Months

Spring and summer are the warmer seasons, and most homeowners don’t turn their furnaces on for 4-6 months during these times. However, while it may feel great not to need to turn on the furnace to stay warm, these months of inactivity can negatively affect your furnace.

This is because months of inactivity can exacerbate smaller issues which may have been present last season. If there is a small mechanical failure, or a part in your furnace had begun wearing out, “resting” for several months and then starting back up in the fall can cause those problems to go from small and unnoticeable to causing a system shutdown.

3. Keep Your Family Safe

When was the last time your furnace was checked for cracks and compromises? If your furnace hasn’t been inspected by a professional heating expert in recent memory, then it may be leaking carbon monoxide into your home.

Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas because it is colorless, odorless, and can be toxic in large quantities. So instead of putting your family at risk this season, call for an inspection and ensure that your furnace is safe to use.

4. Save Money

Spending to have your furnace inspected may not feel like a great way to save money, but investing in maintenance before your furnace begins seeing heavy, daily use can help prevent and avoid larger, more costly repairs down the line.

5. Rest Easy

Enjoy the winter months armed with the knowledge that your home’s heating system and furnace are in perfect working order and will reliably keep you warm all season long. Not just that, but a furnace which is well-maintained will work more efficiently and uses less energy to operate, which means it can help keep your monthly energy costs down.

If you're interested in scheduling a professional furnace check this fall, call Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical at 517-339-6300 for service in the East Lansing, MI.

Cleaning Your Home for Fall: Do You Have These 5 Items?      

Now that the temperatures are cooling slightly, it’s time to turn your attention indoors to some tasks that you may have put off over the summer.

You are probably aware of some usual basic jobs for fall maintenance, like changing your air filters and cleaning up your yard. But as far as equipment and supplies go, make sure that you have these items on hand to take care of some necessary tasks.

1 - To Wash the Bedding

Make sure that you‘ve got access to a large basin washing machine to fully launder all of your bedding, including comforters and bedding. You may also want to wash pillows as well. Also take a few minutes to flip your mattress, so that you extend its life as well as keep it cleaner. If you don’t have a washing machine big enough, take the items in for dry cleaning.

2 - The Vacuum

Your vacuum is going to get a serious workout during fall cleaning, so make sure filters are clean and ready to go. If you’ve got central vac, empty the canister. Vacuum the upholstery on chairs and sofas.

Vacuum around windowsills to catch dust. While you are there, vacuum window treatments. Vacuum around smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, where accumulating dust can hamper operation.

3 – Vinegar

You’ve probably got vinegar in your kitchen for cooking, but it has many other uses in the kitchen, particularly as a natural degreaser.

Fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water. Scrub counter tops and inside kitchen cabinetry. Clean out the pantry and clean down the shelves. Get rid of old food and put newer food at the front so that it gets used first. Take your hood fan apart in your kitchen and soak it in the vinegar solution. Grease will build up over the year.

4 - Carpet Cleaner

Now is the time to book a professional carpet cleaning. If you’d rather DIY, rent a steam cleaner to get out those deep down stains. Your carpets probably took a beating this summer with the extra dirt from outside, particularly if you’ve got pets or kids.

5 – Ladder

It’s time to get on top of that ladder to take care of all of those high-up jobs. Vacuum around light fixtures. Take them apart and clean out the insides. Dust in all the nooks and crannies of the corners of the rooms. Dust tops of bookshelves, crown moulding and ceiling fans.
The fall is also a great time to get your furnace tuned up. We can help with that. Give the professionals at Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical, in East Lansing, MI, a call today at (517)-339-6300.

Tired of Uneven Cooling In Your Home? Try These 3 Easy Tips!

If your home has issues with uneven cooling, then you may notice a drastic difference in temperature from room to room, and even floor to floor if you live in a multi-story residence.

This can be a source of frustration for many homeowners who expect their investment in their air conditioning system to result in even distribution of cool air to every nook and cranny of their home. Unfortunately, over time various factors can affect your home’s cooling system and reduce its ability to provide continuous cold air.

Can you help reduceuneven cooling in your home? Try these three easy steps and find out for yourself:

1. Add More Insulation to Your Attic

The insulation in your attic plays an important role in maintaining a consistent temperature within your home because it regulates how much cool air stays in, and how much hot air is kept out. This means that if your attic is filled with low-quality insulation, or if it lacks the appropriate amount, then it may be allowing cool air to escape while keeping warm air trapped inside.

If you notice that the floors of your multi-storey home have drastically different temperatures, then your faulty attic insulation may be to blame.

2. Have Your Air Ducts Checked for Air Leaks

Your ductwork carries air from room to room throughout your home and is responsible for maintaining a consistent temperature by carrying warm or cool air to wherever it is needed.

However, if your ducts have leaks, holes, or tears present, then cool air will bleed out before it arrives at its intended destination. Not only does this mean that your rooms will be less cool and comfortable, but it also puts an added strain on your HVAC system because it has to work harder to push extra air around your home to compensate for what was lost.

3. Install a Zoning System to Control Different Areas

A home zoning system may feel like a steep up-front investment, but it can save you a lot of stress and headache long-term when it comes to adequately cooling different areas of your home.

Zoning Systems allow you to control the temperature and air quality on different levels of your home, which allows for a greater degree of accuracy and customization than with a whole-house thermostat. Additionally, depending on the kind of zoning system you have installed, you can ask your HVAC specialist to set customized areas of your home, so there are areas which receive more hot or cool air depending on their size and the layout of your home.

For more information about how you can regulate the temperature in your East Lansing, MI home and fix uneven cooling issues, contact your local HVAC expert from Meridian Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical at 517-339-6300.

Clean The Pollen From Your Home In Three Easy Steps

Summertime in Michigan brings so many great things. Outdoor fun with your family, fishing or camping trips, not to mention so many other outdoor sports and activities. But for allergy sufferers, the warmer weather also brings itchy, irritated eyes, sneezing and a runny nose.

If you or anyone in your family suffers from hay fever or seasonal allergies, you can make your home a haven from those annoying symptoms by following three easy steps that will help to provide clean air that is free from pollen and other allergens in your house.

1 - Install a HEPA Filter

The furnace and air conditioning system in your home has an air filter that should be replaced at least every three months or whenever it becomes visibly dirty. Regular filters do a good job catching dirt and dust before they can enter your ducts.

But if you want a filter that's going to catch even smaller airborne particles like pollen and pet dander, choose a HEPA filter. The ultrafine mesh of a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter will trap more of these allergens to prevent them from getting dispersed throughout your home.

To achieve even cleaner air, you can consider having a UV air sanitizer installed. These units use ultraviolet light to vaporize and virtually eliminate all airborne particles, including microscopic microbes.

2 - Keep Windows and Doors Closed

Now that you have a HEPA filter in place to eliminate pollen that gets into your home, you can greatly limit how much enters in the first place by keeping your windows and doors closed as much as possible. This is particularly important during the early morning hours and mid-day between 10 AM and 3 PM when pollen counts are usually at their highest.

3 - Keep Your Indoor Humidity Under Control

Many allergens, like dust mites and mold spores, love humid air. If you maintain a relative humidity level below 50% in your home, these allergens won't be able to survive. Be careful, however, not to make the air inside too dry, as this can also aggravate allergy symptoms by irritating your sinuses.

If you add a whole home dehumidifier to your air-conditioning system, you'll be able to maintain an optimal humidity level between 40 and 50% that will not only promote clean air in your house but also enhances the overall indoor comfort.

There you have it. Three easy steps to achieving pollen-free clean air in your home. For more home comfort and clean air tips, call the pros at the Meridian Company, in East Lansing, MI at 517-731-0025.