Small businesses face a lot of expenses in Decatur, AL and beyond, ranging from taxes, materials, employee pay, and insurance. But an easy way to save some money is through the smart management of energy, and during the cooler months, the biggest use of energy will be heating.
If you can reduce your energy bill, you’ll have more money left over for other aspects of running your business and helping it thrive. Here are some quick tips on how to do just that.
- Have Your Local Utility Company Audit Your Office. You can contact your local utility company to have a professional check your business for issues such as air leaks, insulation problems, and other issues that could lead to your office HVAC system working harder (and causing higher energy bills.) Knowing where problems lie can help you solve them quickly, which will lead to savings. And fear not: these audits are more often than not free.
- Stagger Your Schedule. Heating requires electricity, and is often more expensive during peak hours, which are often normal business hours. Consider changing business hours to take advantage of lower rates or consider turning down the heat during peak hours. Check your local energy company for this information.
- Use Programmable or Smart Thermostats. New technology is great for saving on the office heat. Smart thermostats can learn the office habits and adjust the heat accordingly, turning it down or off when no one is in the office, and then turning it back up when work begins. You can also program thermostats to stay off during weekends or other periods where no one is working.
- Utilize Landscaping. Though this approach takes a while, the payoff can be big. Using objects such as trees not only block wind during the cooler months, but they provide shade during the hottest parts of the year, leading to double energy savings. If you don’t want to block windows, however, plant trees away from them, and use natural sunlight to provide some heat to your building.
- Decatur, AL and surrounding areas are located in a temperate region. Landscaping should allow plenty of sun in the winter on south-facing windows, shade in the summer around the northern part of the building, and provide windbreaks against drafts during the cooler parts of the year.
- Keep Your Heating System Maintained. Whether your business uses a boiler, furnace, or heat pump, your HVAC company can help you keep it maintained and running for many years to come. You can prevent or delay expensive breakdowns by having yearly inspections, and cleanings will help the air quality in your office as well, keeping employees happy.
- Upgrade an Old Heating System. Old systems tend to run up your energy bills, so if you have the cash to spare, it’s a great idea to update an old system to a more energy-efficient one.
While this can be expensive in the short term, energy savings from a new system can add up over time, eventually paying for a new system.
Talk To Our Professionals Today. If you have questions on how to save money or need to schedule an inspection for your heating system, don’t hesitate to connect with us. We’re here for all your home and commercial heating and cooling needs in Decatur, AL and beyond.