How to Winterize your Business to Manage Energy Costs.

Yes, it’s that time of year again. You can’t control the cold outside, but you can certainly control your energy use inside. Energy costs are on the rise, so we’ve collected a few tips for helping you manage your energy bills this winter.

1. Check your Insulation – have a professional insulation installer evaluate the current insulation in your building. It’s not too late to improve it.
2. Check your lighting – Almost 25 percent of commercial energy costs come from lighting. Replace conventional energy hungry light bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs.
3. Check the thermostat. You can reduce heating costs by as much as 30 percent simply by installing a programmable thermostat. Set the temperature lower during off-peak hours for extra savings.
4. Prep those pipes – We all know that freezing temperatures can cause serious problems when pressure builds up in the pipes and they burst. Make sure all exterior pipes and interior pipes in unheated areas are properly insulated. Flexible elastomeric insulation works well on exterior pipes to prevent water from freezing.
5. Get Ducts in a row – Sorry, we couldn’t resist 😉 If your business has heating ducts, make sure they have proper insulation. Poor insulated ducts require heating systems to work harder and will increase your energy costs.
6. Check windows and doors – Energy-efficient glazing on windows and doors can save as much as 10-20 percent in heat loss. That’s could cause a big dent in your budget.
7. Don’t forget ceiling fans – By simply changing the direction of ceiling fans, you can circulate warm air instead of cool. ENERGY STAR recommends altering the direction of ceiling fans to reduce heating costs to force warm air near the ceiling down.
8. Change Furnace Filters – Clogged, dirty filters hamper airflow and increase energy demand.
9. Switch to LED’s – You know we’re a big fan, and its because the Department of Energy notes LED lights consume 70 percent less energy than convention incandescent lights.
10. Use Rechargeable Batteries – If great to see holiday decorations any time of the year. To save costs, try battery-powered lights instead. Rechargeable batteries are more cost-effective than conventional batteries.
11. Before the deep cold of January and February, take time to have your power lines and boxes inspected by hiring a commercial electrical contractor to inspect all systems completely.