Griffith Energy Services

Treat Your Windows Right! Energy-Saving Tip from Griffith!

Happy Friday from Griffith Energy Services! Today we're sharing some energy-saving window tips.

Signs that your windows are not in good condition are rotting wood, poor sealing from the outside, cracked glass, and similar structural issues. If these words describe the windows in your home, consider replacing them.

Inner storm window kits that use clear plastic to reduce drafts are inexpensive, yet keep you from using the window. The better kits allow you to shrink the plastic with heat from a hair dryer for a better seal from outside air.

Visit Griffith Energy Services online for more tips, or visit  our Facebook and Twitter to see them weekly. For heating oil or HVAC services, give us a call at (866) 698-6524!

Do You Know How Heat Pumps Work? Watch This Video!

Keeping your home warm all winter long can be expensive, especially if you’re using an old, outdated furnace or boiler. If you’re looking for a more economical and energy-efficient way to keep your home comfortable year-round, consider investing in a heat pump!

This video discusses some of the benefits homeowners can experience when using a heat pump. Watch for information on properly operating your heat pump to receive the maximum comfort and energy savings.

To learn more about energy-efficient home heating, contact Griffith Energy Services at (866) 698-6524. We serve the entire D.C. and Baltimore metro areas with professional residential heating services, HVAC repair, and heating oil delivery.

Are You Fooling Your Thermostat? Energy-Saving Tip from Griffith!

Don’t fool your thermostat by locating it near sources of heat such as stoves, televisions, computers, or below heating ducts. This will cause the rest of your house to remain cold! The opposite effect occurs when the thermostat is located near outside doors and windows that are opened frequently.

Use a clock thermostat (also known as a programmable or set back thermostat) to regulate temperatures when you're away from home. You can save as much as 10% if you use an automatic setback thermostat or programmable thermostat for 8 hours per day. You can select the temperature and times for the energy savings and may vary the settings for each day of the week.

Don't forget to visit Griffith Energy Services online for more tips, or visit  our Facebook and Twitter to see them weekly. For heating oil or HVAC services, give us a call at (866) 698-6524.

We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

How Heat Pumps Work to Cool Your Home

If you’re looking for one HVAC upgrade to improve your home’s heating, cooling, and energy efficiency, consider investing in a heat pump. Heat pumps are a great alternative to using fuel-burning heating and air conditioning systems. They can deliver comparable comfort to furnaces and AC systems, but at a much lower cost! Here’s a look at how heat pumps can help keep your home cool during the summer:

Heat pumps work very differently from other components of your HVAC system. Heat pumps work by transferring heat from one location to another. During the wintertime, heat pumps capture any remaining heat in the frigid outdoors and transport it indoors for use in the home. This helps increase your home’s energy efficiency by allowing you to rely less on your furnace to maintain indoor comfort.

Heat pumps can also help to keep your home cooler during the warm summer months by working in reverse. To reduce the amount of heat in your home, your heat pump will absorb the warm air in your home into your HVAC system. The heat pump will then release this heat energy into the atmosphere outside. This reduces the temperature and humidity level in your home, leading to greater overall comfort.

But, if your air conditioner and a heat pump are each capable of producing comparable levels of comfort, why should you upgrade to a heat pump? Although both and AC and heat pump systems can cool your home, air conditioners use much more energy than heat pumps do. Because heat pumps only transfer heat from one place to another, rather than cooling down already-warm air, they require much less energy, which means greater savings throughout the cooling season.

To learn more about heat pumps, contact Griffith Energy Services. We specialize in residential heating oil delivery services, as well as HVAC repair and installation. Call (866) 698-6524 to learn how we can help your DC- or Baltimore-area home save money.

Wintertime Energy Saving Tip: Don't Forget Ductwork Insulation!

Something often forgotten during an energy audit of your home is ductwork insulation. Keeping the heated air inside the duct will pay for itself in a short period of time. Air ducts in unfinished parts of the house should be insulated so the heated air in winter isn’t lost before it gets to your living area.

On a windy day, light an incense stick and hold it near your windows, doors, electrical boxes, and plumbing fixtures, or anyplace else you suspect may be leaking energy. If the smoke moves in a horizontal path, you have found a leak. Using caulk, weather stripping, or sealing the area will stop this energy loss. 

Drafts under doors or windows allow warm air to escape from your home. An easy way to block this escape path around doors involves placing "snakes" (fabric filled with bulky material) along the bottom of doors or windows.

Don't forget to visit Griffith Energy Services online for more tips, or visit  our Facebook and Twitter to see them weekly!