Ross Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.

NV License: 0076902
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Smart, Programmable or Manual Thermostats — What’s the Difference?

June 10, 2020 by Ross

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Whether it’s 35 degrees or 95 degrees, there’s one gadget that will help keep you comfortable no matter what Nevada’s weather is doing: your thermostat.

From smart to programmable to manual, thermostats come in all kinds. They’ll all help you survive Nevada’s fluctuating temperatures, but some have certain advantages over others. Have you been thinking about upgrading an old manual thermostat? Or not sure what you’d gain by trading in your programmable thermostat for a smart one? Let’s go over the basic differences.

Manual Thermostats

Manual thermostats have been around for as long as any of us can remember. You read the temperature on an analog dial, and to change the temperature, you simply turn the dial or move the little lever arm to the temperature you want. You can only set one temperature and you have to do it by hand. So, for example, if you’re headed to work and want to save on energy, you’d change the temperature on the thermostat before walking out the door, and you’d change it back to a more comfortable temp when you got home.

Programmable Thermostats

Programmable thermostats are one step up from manual. These can be easily recognized by their basic digital screens and little buttons. The big advantage of having a programmable thermostat is that you can schedule it to change temperature on certain days at certain times. That means, with a little time spent pushing the buttons, you can program it to run minimally on the days and times you’re going to be out of the house, and even when you’ll be sleeping. Programmable thermostats make it easier to keep energy costs down without having to spend a lot of time adjusting the temperature controls (once they’ve been programmed, that is).

Smart Thermostats

Smart thermostats are the newest option. One step further than digital, you can now control your thermostat from your smart device — a phone, computer or tablet. No more pushing buttons and toggling between days and hours. No more getting up from your couch to change the temperature. Setting your thermostat is as easy as setting your smartphone’s alarm clock. Even better, on nights you work late or weekends you’re driving back from a camping trip, you can change the temperature on your way home. You can monitor and adjust your system from wherever you go. Additionally, smart thermostats let you track your energy consumption and the effectiveness of your HVAC system in real-time. That means you can make smarter decisions about what temperature schedule you want to follow.

No matter what kind of thermostat you have, we can help you make sure it’s working correctly and running an optimized HVAC system. If you have any questions about your thermostat, or if you’re interested in upgrading to a newer model, give us a call! We’d be more than happy to talk shop with you and make sure you get the one that’s right for you.

Filed Under: Helpful Tips Tagged With: manual thermostat, programmable thermostat, smart thermostat, Thermostat, thermostats

5 Ways to Save Money on Your Energy Bill in 2020

January 29, 2020 by Ross

A smart home thermostat can help save you money on your energy bill.

If 2020 is the year of 20/20 vision, that means we should have the clarity to avoid unnecessary bills and repairs before they become a reality. Here are 5 things you can do to save money on your energy bill while taking great care of your HVAC system at the same time.

 

1. Change your air filter.

We’re not talking once a year. We’re talking regularly. Like every 2-3 months when your system is working hard. Why? Because otherwise your furnace is going to have to work a lot harder to push air through a gunky screen, and that means you’re shortening its life. Keep in mind that a furnace is a lot harder to replace than an air filter, not to mention it’s something you don’t need to pay a pro to do for you. Heck, you can even buy a reusable air filter that you just take out and rinse off every so often, and then you’re not spending extra money or creating extra waste.

 

2. Keep your vents open.

We’ve all been tempted to close the air vents in certain rooms or on certain floors. It makes sense when you’re thinking, “No one’s using the guest room right now,” or, “Upstairs is always warmer, so let’s close the vents on the main floor.” What we often don’t realize is that closing the vents is not only going to make your furnace work a lot harder, just like a gunky air filter would, but it will also put increased pressure on your air ducts. What does that mean? You’re creating leaky ducts.

Leaky ducts are a terrible drain on your energy bill — far worse than heating or cooling an extra room or two. In the average home, about 20 to 30 percent of the air that moves through the ducts gets lost due to leaks, holes and poor installation. That’s a huge amount of what you’re paying for every month on your energy bill, so it’s best to keep your vents open and avoid making your ducts even leakier.

 

3. Get your air leaks fixed.

Like we said above, air leaks in your ducts are a huge drain on your HVAC system — to the tune of 20-30 percent. You can prevent them from becoming worse by keeping your vents open, but you can also get them fixed. Sealing and insulating your ducts will often pay for itself through savings on your energy bill. It will also help improve the air quality in your home, because leaky ducts often pull in dust from your insulation and musty crawlspaces.

 

4. Don’t heat — or cool — an empty house.

You’ll save as much as 10 percent on your energy bill every year just by turning your thermostat back 7-10 degrees, 8 hours a day. Do this while you’re away on vacation, when you leave for work in the morning, or even while you’re sleeping. For instance, if you like to keep your house at 68 degrees, turn it down to 60 while you’re gone. The math works out so that you save more energy by lowering the temperature than you spend by reheating your house when you get home — which means you’re saving money. You can program your thermostat to do this for you, so your house is comfortable by the time you get home from work. If you have a smart thermostat, you can control the temperature settings from anywhere using an app on your phone. If you have an old thermostat and want to upgrade, contact us!

 

5. Give your HVAC system some regular maintenance.

Think about some of the things you use every day, like your car or your bathroom sink. How often do these things need attention, maintenance or even a little sprucing? Usually pretty often. Your HVAC system is the same way. It puts in a lot of work, and it needs a little TLC in return. Giving your HVAC system maintenance 1-2 times a year from a trained professional will help it do its best work for you. In return, a more efficient system will cost less each month, last longer, and give you a more comfortable home.

Make use of these tips to save money on your energy bill this year. If you have any questions about how to apply any of these tips, feel free to get in touch! We’re more than happy to help. Happy New Year!

Filed Under: Helpful Tips Tagged With: Clean Air, Energy Savings, Thermostat

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Ross Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.

1220 E. Greg Street, Ste. #14
Sparks, NV 89431
Phone: (775) 425-2525
Fax: (775) 425-2526
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Testimonials

We have a very old furnace and A/C system and had a lot of problems with it until we found Ross Heating. Damian is very honest and able to fix both the heating and cooling system for us. As our house…
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Wow! Our air conditioner quit right in the middle of a record heat wave. I found Ross Heating and Air on Yelp. They had a good review and were close, so I called. My call was taken by a pleasant woman…
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I can’t recommend Damian Ross and Ross Heating and Air Conditioning enough! Damian came out on a Sunday in the heat of the summer and stayed until the house was cool. Reasonably priced, independent an…
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Ross Heating converted our 3 old nasty oil furnaces into 3 new natural gas, high efficiency furnaces with air conditioning. This was a lot if work as we need gas lines from city, power for AC and ever…
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Very personable and prompt. Discovered AC didn’t work over the weekend and was able to fit a service call in for the next day. Got it fixed and very reasonable parts & labor.
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I can’t begin to express the excellent service Ross Heating & Air provided to me. Not only was their service call/routine maintenance half the cost of all the other heating & air conditioning companie…
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Ross did a heating check up, filter change and AC installation for me. They are honest, friendly, reliable and a pleasure to work with.
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Had an oil furnace that needed to be switched out to natural gas. Ross Heating gave me a fair estimate on paper of parts and labor. He was very thorough on the work and did the job correctly and to co…
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Ross Heating and Air Conditioning is a wonderful small business in Northern NV. They are very accommodating with scheduling the 2 times a year check ups on my furnace and air conditioning unit. My sc…
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1220 E. Greg Street, Ste. #14
Sparks, NV 89431
Phone: (775) 425-2525
Fax: (775) 425-2526

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  • Smart, Programmable or Manual Thermostats — What’s the Difference?
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Address: 1220 E. Greg Street, Ste. #14, Sparks, NV 89431 | Phone: (775) 425-2525

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