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Cooling Tips

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How to Keep Cool and Save

Helpful ways your business can save energy and money.

In Michigan, seasonal weather impacts how you use energy at your business. A couple days of hot weather can increase your energy use and energy bill. Your business can start saving today with our quick and easy tips to use less energy.

Cooling Tips

Change Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Filters Regularly
Check filters monthly, especially during summer. If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every three months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you cool, wasting energy.

Check Thermostats for Accuracy
Use an external thermometer to ensure the accuracy of your thermostat. Thermostats should be installed on an interior wall away from vents or other sources of draft for the most reliable readings.

Install a Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats are ideal for areas that are unoccupied during set periods of time throughout the week. Stock rooms, warehouses and other spaces that have minimal traffic should be kept cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer.

Use Shading Devices
Install interior and exterior shading devices—window film, solar screens, awnings, blinds and curtains—on west and south-facing windows to block heat caused by sunlight in the summer.

Clean, Seal and Insulate Ducts
Ducts that move air from a forced air furnace, central air conditioner or heat pump are often big energy wasters. Regularly clean your ductwork to ensure adequate airflow. Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by 20 percent or more.

Tune-Up HVAC System
Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort. A contract automatically ensures that your HVAC contractor will provide "pre-season" tune-ups before each cooling and heating season.

Tune-Up Boilers
When too much air is used to burn fuel, a boiler will emit excessive heat, forcing your cooling system to work harder. A boiler tune-up will ensure your boiler has the right fuel-to-air ratio.