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Prepare to keep cool and efficient this summer
With the cooling season almost upon us, it's a great time to make sure your air conditioner is ready to keep you comfortable this summer. After sitting dormant for the winter, your air conditioner probably needs a service check.
Without regular maintenance, an air conditioner can lose about 5 percent of its original efficiency for each year of operation. This means that 12-SEER unit you bought just a few years ago might only be functioning like a 9-SEER unit today.
A repair person should: check the coolant (Freon) level; clean the condenser unit coils; check the amp draw of the compressor; oil the fan motors; adjust the belts; check the operating pressures and temperatures against manufacturers specs; and straighten the delicate fins on the outside of the unit if they are bent.
This will improve air flow on the unit. Maintenance on your system now will save you money in the long run by helping your air conditioner operate more efficiently. The difference in energy consumption between a well-maintained air-conditioning system and a severely neglected system ranges from 10 to 40 percent.
And remember, if you do encounter air-conditioner problems this summer and it looks like you may have to purchase a new unit, take time to explore the benefits of a heat pump system. A heat pump replaces your air conditioner for summer cooling. Then, during cold weather, a hybrid heat pump works with your existing furnace to warm your home.
At moderate winter temperatures, the hybrid heat pump does most of the heating. As temperatures drop, the hybrid heat pump works in conjunction with your furnace to comfortably warm your house. In the long run, a heat pump saves you money by reducing or eliminating the need for high-cost natural gas or propane for heating.
Learn more about heat pump systems
Energy saving can grow on trees
We all know trees can enhance the exterior of our homes with colorful foliage and cooling shade. But we sometimes forget that the strategic placement of trees and shrubs can help make our homes more energy efficient. As you pull on those garden gloves and get ready for spring planting, keep the following in mind:- Planting deciduous trees (those that shed their leaves in the winter) on the west and southwest sides of your house will help shade the roof and walls of your home in the summer. In the winter, the bare branches will let sunshine through to warm your house during the day.
Evergreen trees planted on the north and west of your house create a windbreak against cold winter winds and save energy dollars.
Foundation plantings (shrubs and bushes) create an insulating "dead air space" around the base of your house.Tree planting checklist
Most importantly, remember that to keep new trees from growing into utility lines, plant small, medium and large mature-growth trees a proper distance from power line rights-of-way. And if you don't see any overhead utility lines on your property, it means you have underground lines. Call 1-800-DIG-SAFE before you dig.
How close to plant trees to power lines
Outdoor Lighting
Low-cost and energy efficient, outdoor lights make your property more secure at night. They can illuminate dark spots where intruders may hide and brighten doors and entryways. Automatic timers, solar lights and remote controls assist homeowners in security and convenience.
Even more energy efficient outdoor lighting options are available in today's market. For example, inexpensive solar LED path lights and garden lights come in a variety of styles. Manufacturers have combined the longevity of LED bulbs with the power of the sun to create LED solar motion lights.
And remember, if you're not using motion sensor lights but plan to leave a porch light, yard light, or lamp post on all night long, use CFLs in those fixtures, or LEDs, which use even less energy than the energy saving, longer lasting CFLs. That way you'll be lighting the night using significantly less energy.
Open House at Westar Energy's "green" renovated Lawrence Service Center
Westar will host an open house at its newly renovated Lawrence Service Center, 746 E. 27th St., on May 14 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tours of the building will be offered, and visitors will learn about the facility's state-of-the-art energy efficiency components, including its geothermal heat pump system, and special lighting controls and skylights. The building is designed to use 23% less energy than the nationally recognized baseline for new commercial construction.
By the numbers:
75% of materials used were purchased from manufacturers located within 500 miles, which reduced emissions associated with the transportation of building material.
7,281 tons, or 98% of the construction waste was recycled or salvaged.
40 geothermal wells serving 32 heat pump units.
15% of building materials purchased from recycled materials.
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