Make the Most of Back-to-School Energy Savings

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Fall is a transitional time, when leaves and temperatures drop and families settle back in to a familiar routine. After a summer filled with increased energy usage from the television, video games and A/C, take advantage of this decrease in activity to enjoy some back-to-school energy savings; here’s how.

  • Re-program the thermostat. Adjust the settings on the programmable thermostat to reflect the change in your routine. Opt for a temperature of 68 degrees for times you’re home or awake, and program it several degrees lower for times you’re away or asleep. For each degree you go below your desired set point, you can save approximately 2 percent on your heating costs.
  • Get unplugged. Increase back-to-school energy savings by unplugging all the devices and small appliances your children used during the summer. Turning them off isn’t good enough, as most of these devices continue to draw power in the “off” position. This phantom power can account for as much as 10 percent of your monthly energy bill.
  • Maintain the heating system. Increase comfort, efficiency and reliability by having the heating system inspected, cleaned and professionally maintained each fall. Keep up with regular air filter changes throughout the fall and winter, aiming for a monthly change during peak heating season.
  • Get audited. Schedule a professional energy audit to find out where your energy dollars are flowing and identify areas where you can save.
  • Head in a different direction. Switch the direction of ceiling fans to have them rotate in a clockwise direction. This will create an updraft that will push the warm air from the ceiling area back down to living spaces.
  • Harness the power of the sun. Open window coverings on south-facing windows during the day, allowing the sun’s rays to help heat your home.
  • Check for leaks. Inspect ductwork for signs of cracking or disconnection, and seal these areas with foil backed tape or duct mastic.

For more back-to-school energy savings tips, call the experts at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We’ve been serving homeowners in the greater Cincinnati area for over a century.

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"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
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