Total Energy News and Insights

Do you turn off your thermostat or burner? For many of us turning off your heat is a welcomed break from the cold and the start of warmer weather. When it comes to turning off your heat for the summer there are a few things your should consider before your flip the switch. All oil burning homes will have a emergency oil burner switch in the home, usually found at the top of the stairs that head down to the basement. There is a switch that can be found on the heating system itself that will also turn off your heating system. This can be used as the turn off for the heating season switch, when you're familiar with your home's heating demands. New homeowners who aren't familiar with the way your heating system works shouldn't use this method as a way to turn off your heat for the season.  Many homes use an indirect water heater for the home's hot water, this uses the boiler or furnace's heat to heat your hot water. During the winter months this is essent...

What to do what to do to stay cool To be honest I started looking around the internet for Central Air units because of the massive heat wave/ heat index rise that has been floating over the Northeast. While I work for a heating and cooling company, I just bought a house that I don't want and can't do major work to, yet. That didn't mean I haven't asked around to figure what is involved. My home doesn't have ductwork as it is a forced hot water boiler heated home. I have baseboards in all the rooms that bring heat to the rooms, meaning that I can't just add central air conditioning to the ductwork in my home. That doesn't mean that I can't add ductwork to the attic of my home to get central ac. There are several different types of AC that you can have installed in your home, which we've talked about here before. Central AC, Mini-Split ductless AC, Window AC, and Portable (not even worth the hassle) each have their own benefits and downfalls. ...

This is Going to be one for the Record Books We've been experiencing a wide arrange of extreme weather over the past few years, from a year of monthly global temperature records, to record setting cold last winter to record setting warmth this past winter and a relatively mild summer last year.  This summer looks to be a more traditional hot summer for us in New England. The Weather Channel has published there 3 month temperature prediction for June through August and as you see above, we're in for a hot summer.  That will mean a lot of fans and/or AC's running to keep you cool. This could also mean a lot of time in the pool or by the beach. When it comes to keeping cool inside of your home, it's important to make sure that you're mini-split and central AC's are properly maintained. Like your heating system, your cooling system needs to be properly maintained to keep running at it's optimal level. Having your cooling system running at it's o...

Summer is here and that means BBQ's, Beach trips, vacations, and Air Conditioning bills. It seems that New Englander's can never fully escape extreme weather conditions, except for a couple of weeks in the spring and full where the weather is just perfect. The rest of year is either freezing, snowy, or a thousand degrees and you can eat the air.  It might not be that bad but we do put a lot of effort and money into staying comfortable.  Now that it is officially summer we thought it would be perfect to outline some helpful energy tips. While we've had a couple of days in the mid 80's, we have been lucky that we haven't seen any days in the 90's yet.  This has made so I haven't needed to put in my windowed ac units yet. Were there some nights that I could have used them, yes, but they weren't needed. I know that people have already put there's in and this brings me to our first tip.  Size is important when choosing any type of AC. Modern window u...

It's Air Conditioning Season! Who would have ever thought after the horrible February and March that we experienced that the time to think about air conditioning would come.  Looking at the 10 day forecast on May 4th shows only one day below 70 for Worcester and 3 days below 70 for Providence. It finally feels that warmer weather is going to stick around, even April felt as if winter didn't want to let go of it's grip on New England completely. With high temps in the 70's and 80's this week it seems that we have finally hit the turning point away from winter.  With temperatures this high central air conditioning and mini-split air conditioners can be properly installed and calibrated. Now I'm sure that no one is digging out the windowed air conditioners yet, the warmth is welcomed since the cold of this past winter is still fresh in our minds.  Soon enough we'll be complaining about the humidity and heat, searching for relief.  Most of u...

Summer sun and Air Conditioning  Summer means beaches,  barbecues, and hot summer days. While us New Englanders can't wait for the brutally cold winters to come to an end and the warm summer air. That summer sun means turning on the AC and fearing the electric bill. How do you beat the heat without breaking the bank? Heading to the beach for a swim and a day by the beach is always an option. Pools are great for cooling off but the pump and a heater will also increase your electric use. Here are some tips for saving energy this summer without increasing your electricity demand too much. First when you should and shouldn't use a standing or ceiling fan. Fans can circulate the air out of a room, fans will only cool people. The cooling effect that is felt from a fan is from the wind chill that is created. You should only use a fan while someone is in the room.  Those of you that are lucky to have central air throughout the home or have mini-split air condi...

A introduction to the pros and cons of Ductless or Split Air Conditioners As the summer weather start to creep into New England, much slower than in past years we begin to wonder how to stay cool or when the Air Conditioners (AC) should be put in. Air Conditioners are the most convenient way to stay cool inside the home, but which type of AC should I use? Windowed AC units offer the lowest entry point as far as price is concerned, while Duct Central AC can be paired with existing ductwork in the home from a furnace with a much higher entry point.  In recent years an alternative to these forms has gained a lot of momentum in the market, Ductless or Split AC. A Ductless or Split AC unit is just as the name refers, ductless and split refers to the fact that the AC unit is separate from the compressor. Most commonly a split AC unit is mounted to a wall inside the home, it is positioned where it will provide the most comfort while being as close to the compressor as possible. T...