Heating and Cooling Tips--Dakota Electric Association

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Cycled Air®

Participating in Dakota Electric Cycled Air® program is one of the best ways to save money on air conditioning costs. Learn more about the program.

Air Conditioning Tips

Set the thermostat at 78° or higher.
Do not set the thermostat at a colder than normal setting. It will not cool the house any faster and will overshoot the desired temperature, wasting energy.
Clean or replace filters monthly.
Turn off the air conditioner when you are going to be gone for several hours and draw the shades to keep heat out.
Don't place heat-generating devices such as lamps near the thermostat. It could sense the heat causing the air conditioner to run longer than needed.
Room air conditioners should fit snugly to window frames. Close heat ducts in the room and remove or seal the unit with plastic after the cooling season.
Have your central air conditioning unit checked and tuned annually.
Keep outside units clear of leaves and obstruction, and periodically clean and vacuum the grills, coils and cooling fins.

Weatherization Tips

Test your home for air tightness on a windy day by holding a lit incense stick next to locations with possible air leaks such as windows, doors and electrical boxes. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have an air leak.
Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows with air leaks.
Caulk and seal air leaks in areas where plumbing, ducting or electrical wiring penetrates through exterior walls, floors and ceilings.
Install rubber gaskets behind switch plates that are located on exterior walls.
Look for dirty spots in your insulation. These spots often indicate holes. Seal holes by stapling sheets of plastic over them and caulking the edges of the plastic.
Install storm windows or replace single-pane windows with double-pane windows. Storm windows can double the R-value of single-pane windows and help reduce drafts, condensation and frost formation.
Close fireplace flue dampers tightly when the fireplace is not in use.
Install house wrap, tape exterior sheathing joints or comprehensively caulk and seal the exterior walls when building a new home.

Heating Tips

Replace your furnace's air filter before each heating season. A dirty filter will reduce airflow, making your system work harder to deliver air to the registers.
Cover the filter slot with a piece of wide tape to keep air from getting in around with edges without passing through the filter.
If your furnace is more than 15 years old, consider ENERGY STAR® qualified equipment to help save on energy bills. New equipment has advanced technology to deliver higher efficiency.
If you can see the duct seams where the metal comes together, seal these joints with shiny foil tape with a UL-181 label (this label is very important) or duct mastic.
Check the connection between your ducts and the drywall. Cover any gaps with foil tape or duct mastic to prevent heated air from escaping into the walls.
If you have any ducts that run into the attic or through a cold basement or crawl space, be sure the ducts are well insulated. If the insulation is missing or falling off, most home improvement stores sell insulation designed to insulate ducts.
Set back your thermostat when you are sleeping or away.
Call a heating contractor to service your system. It is good to have a service technician look at your heating system to make sure that it is running properly to keep you warm without adding unnecessary costs. Ask your contractor to also check your duct system.

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