Energy Center

1. Heating and Air Conditioning
2. Home Improvements
3. Programmable Thermostats
4. Air Conditioning Inspection
5. Water Heaters
6. Energy Star

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Heating and Air Conditioning

The single biggest power user in your home...

Every month, the majority of your energy costs go to heating and cooling your home. Trying to reduce your monthly energy expenses? ... Heating and air conditioning is where you can make the most impact. New high efficiency systems use less energy, while outperforming older equipment. A new system will start saving you money right away in monthly energy consumption.

A new heating and cooling system for your home can save you up to 30% in energy consumption.

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Home Improvements

Air Conditioning System Inspection Save energy and save money all year long with a comprehensive AC System Inspection. BGE HOME's certified technicians will perform a complete 15-point inspection of your AC unit to ensure optimum efficiency when it's most costly to operate - those hot summer months. Manufacturers recommend that all air conditioning systems be inspected by a qualified technician before the peak cooling season. Schedule your Air Conditioning inspection today.	Programmable Thermostats When used properly, programmable thermostats with the ENERGY STAR rating help you save money and keep your home comfortable by automatically adjusting your temperature settings while you are asleep or away. According to Energy Star, you can save about $100 per year or more. CLICK HERE to have a BGE HOME Home Comfort Specialist call you and schedule an installation - be sure to select 'Thermostats' as the equipment type in the form.	Home Improvements Home Improvements not only add value and beauty to your home, they can also help you save money each month in heating and cooling costs. Outfitting your home with new energy efficient upgrades such as windows, doors or thermal backed siding may help you save big each month. New Energy efficient windows, for example can save you up to 30% in energy consumption.
Water Heaters The second largest energy expense in your home, water heaters account for up to 11% of your monthly energy costs. If your water heater is over 10 years old, the energy savings alone from a new efficient water heater will be worth the investment.	Energy Star *Purchasing qualified energy efficient products may make you eligible to receive a tax credit under The Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005 (H.R.6). To learn more about ways to save energy, and the income tax credits visit the Energy Star website.

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Energy Star

Energy Star® was introduced by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary labeling program. It was designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy in 1996 to promote the Energy Star label, with each agency taking responsibility for particular product categories. Energy Star products include residential heating and cooling equipment and windows.

The Energy Star® logo is your assurance that you are purchasing the most energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and windows available on the market today. Energy Star® labeled products are significantly more energy-efficient than what is required under current federal standards.

Energy Star has over 30 product categories (and thousands of models) for the home. These products deliver the same or better performance as their comparable models - all the while, using less energy and saving money.

Energy Quiz

Now is the time to consider increasing the energy efficiency of your home. A few inexpensive energy efficient measures can reduce your energy consumption and increase your family's comfort.

Test your energy knowledge!

An airtight home can substantially cut your energy consumption. To save energy, you should find any leaks around windows and doors and plug them by:
	Sealing leaks with weather stripping
	Filling leaks with caulking
	Using plastic film kits on windows
	All of the above.
Today's high-efficiency windows can improve heating and cooling energy savings by 40%. By installing energy-efficient windows, the amount of savings you may see is:
	5%
	10%
	15%
	None of the above.
Water heating is a home's third largest energy expense. To reduce this cost you should:
	Repair leaky faucets
	Install low-flow shower heads
	Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees
	All of the above.
If you have a fireplace, your energy dollars may be going right up the chimney. To save energy you should:
	Use more logs
	Clean the area around your fireplace
	Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going
	Light the fire only in the evening
Manufacturers recommend that a certified technician inspect your heating system to ensure that the operation is safe and efficient. This should be scheduled:
	Once a month
	Once a year
	Every three years
	Every five to ten years
Heating and cooling your home consumes over 40% of the average family's budget. To help make your system more energy efficient you can:
	Make sure warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators are not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes
	Clean or replace filters on your heating equipment once a month
	Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer
	All of the above.
To ensure energy efficiency when shopping for a new refrigerator you should:
	Look for the Energy Star label
	Look for the lowest price
	Shop around at several locations
	Select the largest model in stock
The Energy Guide label on a refrigerator tells how much electricity, in kilowatt-hours (kWh), the refrigerator will use in one year. The number shown on the label means:
	The number divided by 2 equals the energy efficiency rating
	The smaller the number, the less energy it uses
	The larger the number, the less energy it uses
	The number represents the amount of savings you will realize
When shopping for a washer what energy-saving feature should you look for:
	Water level options
	Suds-saver feature
	Spin cycle adjustment
	All of the above.
Landscaping with certain plants can be effective in reducing heating and cooling costs. Which of the following is true:
	You can deflect winter winds by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides of your house
	Planting flowers in the rear of your house can help save energy since they reflect the sunlight
	Outdoor lighting strategically placed can provide heat in the winter
	Mulch placed in your garden helps insulate your home
Increasing your lighting efficiency is one of the fastest ways to decrease your energy bills. If you replace 25% of your lights in high-use areas with fluorescents the following is true:
	You can save approximately 10%
	You can save approximately 15%
	You can save approximately 25%
	You can save approximately 50%
If purchasing new energy efficient windows is not an immediate option, you can save energy on your existing windows by doing the following:
	Use tight-fitting, insulating window shades
	Close your curtains and shades at night and open them during the day
	Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to maximize solar gain
	All of the above
Ceiling fans can help save energy. You can improve efficiency in the winter by doing which of the following:
	Turning the fans off in the winter
	Using the lighting portion of the fan to assist in heating the room
	Setting your ceiling fans on reverse to re-circulate heat that would otherwise build up near the ceiling
	None of the above.
Windows and doors play an important role in energy conservation. If you install storm windows and doors which of the following is true:
	You'll reduce heat loss by half
	You'll reduce heat loss by 10%
	You'll increase heat loss by 10%
	You'll save energy by using the sun's reflective solar energy
To help maintain the efficiency of your water heater you should perform which of the following every three months:
	Drain a quart of water from your tank to remove sediment
	Reduce the number of showers you take
	Reduce the number of loads of laundry you wash
	None of the above
To save energy when heating your home you should do which of the following:
	Turn your thermostat off at night
	Keep your thermostat on 79 degrees all year
	Change the filter once a year
	Close the door to unoccupied rooms and shut the vent or turn off the heat in that room

Puron™

Did you know that there is a new, environmentally friendly way to stay cool that could help you save money, too?

It's called Puron™, developed by Carrier Corporation and Allied Signal. Puron™ was developed in response to the 1987 international treaty to phase out and eventually ban Freon, or R22, the accepted refrigerant for home use today.

Freon is the refrigerant used in many older heat pump and air conditioning systems. It is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) controlled substance and contains very environmentally hazardous chlorine compounds which damage the ozone layer if released into the air. Because of the damaging effect on the environment, Freon will be banned from production in the year 2020. With heat pump and air conditioning systems lasting roughly 15 to 20 years, the ban of Freon could affect you. As less and less Freon is produced, it will become more expensive - driving repair prices up. And, eventually, repair will become impossible as the supply of Freon is exhausted.

Puron™ refrigerant offers the ultimate in comfort and quality without harming our environment. And since it's chlorine-free, Puron™ systems keep your home comfortable all season long without depleting the earth's ozone layer. Puron™ is the refrigerant of the future and with the cost of chlorine-based refrigerants (Freon) sure to rise as they become more scarce, Puron™ will also save you money down the road should service ever be needed.

Newer air conditioning systems connections are welded to minimize leaks; while, many older units (8+ years) were connected with mechanical flared fittings - which are more prone to break or loosen over the years, causing leaks. Those older units also, more than likely, use Freon as a cooling refrigerant. Freon can cause irreversible environmental damage. If you currently have a Freon unit, you should have your system inspected once a year to safeguard against Freon Leakage.

If you want to avoid harming the environment and possible higher repair bills, look to BGE HOME for air conditioners and heat pumps that use Puron. These units are certified energy efficient by both Energy Star and Green Seal.

Energy Saving Tips

Air Conditioner /Heat Pump

If you did not have your system serviced in the Fall or can not remember the last time your A/C unit was checked, now is the time to schedule that much needed service.

Our certified technician will check the calibration of your thermostat, inspect and adjust belts and pulleys, check refrigerant levels and MUCH MORE!

Don't put this off until the hot weather arrives, call 1-888-BGE-HOME or CLICK HERE to email a BGE HOME customer care representative now.

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Change Your Air Filter

It is recommended you change your air filters once every month. Your furnace and A/C or heat pump filter is likely to need changing after the harsh winter's demand on your system. This means a visit to the hardware or home improvement store to buy the proper sized filter. Take advantage of any sales or multiple-unit pricing and stock up. Also, consider using a pleated filter (better dust trapping) or an element type filter that can be washed periodically, instead of being thrown out.

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Energy Efficient HVAC unit

Did you know that your home's heating and air conditioning system can actually save you money on your energy bills? It can, if you install a new high efficiency heating and air conditioning system. Designed specifically to save energy and save money, these new systems work better. A residential gas furnace built prior to 1992 typically has an efficiency rating of only 55%. Even heat pumps and air conditioners that are only six years old are now considered inefficient. The new maximum efficiency systems have ratings of 97% efficiency a possible energy savings of over 40% each year! With that kind of savings, a new system will quickly pay for itself.

Call BGE HOME today at 1-888-BGE-HOME for a free in-home estimate or CLICK HERE to email a customer care representative now.

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Window Tips

In the summertime, the sun shining through your windows heats up the room. Windows with spectrally selective coatings on the glass reflect some of the sunlight, keeping your rooms cooler.

• Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.
• Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day.
• Install awnings on south- and west-facing windows.
• Apply sun-control or other reflective films on south-facing windows to reduce solar gain.

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Plumbing Tips

With the winter weather over, and the spring rains tapering off, it may be a good idea to have your plumbing system inspected to ensure everything is still working properly. A good inspection includes checking for any visible leaks, examining water pressure throughout the system, looking for clogged drains or leaking faucets, provide water-saving tips and options and answer any questions you might have. Call BGE HOME at 1-888-BGE-HOME or CLICK HERE to email a BGE HOME customer care representative now.

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Energy Star

Energy Star® was introduced by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary labeling program. It was designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy in 1996 to promote the Energy Star label, with each agency taking responsibility for particular product categories. Energy Star products include residential heating and cooling equipment and windows.

The Energy Star® logo is your assurance that you are purchasing the most energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and windows available on the market today. Energy Star® labeled products are significantly more energy-efficient than what is required under current federal standards.

Energy Star has over 30 product categories (and thousands of models) for the home. These products deliver the same or better performance as their comparable models - all the while, using less energy and saving money.