Just like in your home, commercial buildings can lose heat and cold air as well. This can often be attributed to inefficient operations, leaks, and improperly sealed doors and windows. In many cases, these problems are easily fixed, but you have to be diligent about your energy usage and where you could be losing precious heat and icy cold air.
Energy Star says that up to 30 percent of energy consumed in offices and other commercial buildings is wasted. Energy efficiency is a great way to reduce this waste and emissions while saving some cash.
Here are some tips for businesses just like yours on how to reduce energy costs:
Program Your Thermostats
If you don’t already have programmable thermostats in your building, install them now so you can distribute your energy usage through climate control. By setting highs and lows throughout the day and night, you can keep energy costs down so you don’t have unnecessary heat distribution. Keep the temperature more regulated when customers and employees are in the building, and less regulated at night when you have limited or no staff. For example, you can schedule the air conditioning to kick on prior to arrival in the morning so it’s nice and cool when everyone arrives.
Change Filters
With any type of HVAC system, it’s imperative to change your filters on a regular basis to ensure optimum efficiency. According to one Atlanta HVAC repair company, by doing so you can keep your vents clean so they don’t have to work as hard to deliver the desired temperature. When you have dirty or clogged filters, your heating and cooling costs can increase by about 25 percent because they have to work harder.
Maintain HVAC Units Regularly
Preventive maintenance is critical in maintaining efficient energy usage. It’s wise to enlist the help of a professional HVAC company to perform seasonal maintenance on your heating and cooling systems such as furnaces, heat pumps and A/C units. Keeping up with scheduled maintenance means you can catch minor issues before they become major problems, thus saving you money in repair or replacement costs down the road.
Make Wise Purchase Decisions
When purchasing appliances and HVAC equipment for your business, make sure you choose Energy Star-certified models. These will save you money in the long run because you will experience lower energy bills each year.
Your heating and cooling systems comprise about 40 percent of the electricity you use in your commercial building, says the Small Business Administration. By being smart about energy usage, you can experience substantial savings and improve your bottom line.
