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Total Comfort System believes businesses benefit financially by continually improving their management of energy resources, and the environment benefits from reduced levels of related pollution. We are proud to offer services and products that may assist businesses who have committed to the goals of ENERGY STAR®.

Heat & Cool Efficiently

As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills — and your comfort. Take these steps to increase the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. Change your air filter regularly

Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool — wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system — leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.

Tune up your HVAC equipment yearly

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.

Learn more

Install a programmable thermostat

A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time throughout the week. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $150 every year in energy costs.

View thermostats and controls

Seal your heating and cooling ducts

Ducts that move air to-and-from a forced air furnace, central air conditioner, or heat pump are often big energy wasters. Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent — and sometimes much more.

Focus first on sealing ducts that run through the attic, crawlspace, unheated basement, or garage. Use duct sealant (mastic) or metal-backed (foil) tape to seal the seams and connections of ducts. After sealing the ducts in those spaces, wrap the ducts in insulation to keep them from getting hot in the summer or cold in the winter. Next, seal ducts that you can access in the heated or cooled part of the house.

Consider installing ENERGY STAR qualified heating and cooling equipment

If your HVAC equipment is more than 10 years old or not keeping your house comfortable, you should have it looked at by a professional HVAC contractor. If it is not performing efficiently or needs upgrading, consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency heating and cooling units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs. But before you invest in a new HVAC system, make sure that you have addressed the big air leaks in your house and the duct system. Sometimes, these are the real sources of problems rather than your HVAC equipment.

Remember that getting the proper size and a quality installation is essential to getting the most from your new equipment. When replacing HVAC equipment, bigger doesn't always mean better. If the unit is too large for your home, you will be less comfortable and might actually have higher utility bills. Oversized equipment will operate in short run cycles, not allowing the unit to reach efficient operation and remove humidity from the air — resulting in an uncomfortable home. Your contractor should determine the right size for your HVAC equipment by using ACCA/ANSI Manual J or an equivalent sizing calculation tool that takes into account specific information about your home.

Maintaining Your Equipment

Dirt and neglect are the #1 causes of heating and cooling system failure. One of the most important steps you can take to prevent future problems and unwanted costs is proper maintenance. Keep your heating and cooling systems at peak performance by

cleaning or replacing the air filter about once a month
having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups. Contractors get busy during summer and winter months, so it's best to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. To remember, you might plan the check-ups around the time changes in the spring and fall.

Jump to our maintenance page to find out more!

Choosing the Right Equipment

When purchasing heating or cooling equipment, remember that high efficiency levels begin with ENERGY STAR®. Whether you're searching for a new het pump, furnace, or other heating and cooling equipment, ENERGY STAR® has set energy efficiency specifications to help you save on energy bills and improve the comfort level in your home.

All Legacy™ , Preferred™, and Evolution™ gas furnaces are Energy Star® compliant
BW4, BW5 and BW9 boilers are Energy Star® compliant

Jump to see the partial list of product equipment we have to offer.

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ENERGY STAR® It's A Good Sign

The ENERGY STAR® program is a voluntary partnership between consumers, their familites, and many of the most respected brand names. All of us are working together to achieve a common goal: to protect our environment for future generations by changing to more energy-efficient practices today. Since the fossil fuel-based energy used in a typical home can cause twice as many greenhouse gas emissions as the average car, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages homeowners to make their homes more energy-efficient. The government awards the ENERGY STAR® to those products, companies and organizations, homes, and services that meet specifications established by EPA and DOE. It's our future. Together, we can make a change for the better

Protecting Our Environment Starts at Home

The average household can be responsible for nearly twice the greenhouse gas emissions as the average car. The leading source of greenhouse gas emissions is energy production; whenever you operate any product in your home that runs on electricity, a power plant is most likely generating that electricity by burning fossil fuels (such as coal and oil), which produces greenhouse gases. Here are 5 ways you can help reduce the risks of global warming!

Change five lights. Change a light and you help change the world. If every American home replaced their 5 most frequently used light fixtures or the buls in them with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR®, we would save close to $8 billion each year in energy costs, and together we'd prevent the greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
Look for products that have earned the ENERGY STAR®. Ask for it by name. You'll get the features and performance you want AND help reduce air pollution. Look for ENERGY STAR® qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment, and appliances. If you are building or buying a newly constructed home, ask about ENERGY STAR®.
Heat and Cool Smartly. Improve the performance of your heating and cooling system. Have it serviced annually by a licensed contractor, and remember to clean or replace air filters regularly. To avoid heating or cooling an empty houe, use an ENERGY STAR® qualified programmable thermostat. And when it's time to replace old equipment, choose an ENERGY STAR® qualified model, and make sure it's sized and installed properly. If just one household in 10 did this, the change would prevent more than 17 billion pounds of greenhouse gases.
Seal Up Your Home. Drafty windows and doors, cold walls or ceilings, and high energy bills are all symptoms of air leaks (usually in the attic and basement) and poor insulation. Seal air leaks, add insulation, and choose ENERGY STAR® qualified windows when replacing old windows. That way you'll improve the comfort and durability of your home, save energy and help protect our environment.
Tell family and friends. Slip it into a conversation with a friend or family member. Talk about it at a neighbor's barbecue. Pass it on at a PTA meeting or at work. We're asking you to help spread the word that emergy efficiency is good for your home and good for our environment. Tell five people and together we can help our homes help us all.

You can make a change for the better

The average home spends about $1,900 annually on energy bills. Heating and cooling accounts for as much as half of a home's energy use. The EPA provides important recommendations for energy-efficient equipment, including proper sizing, quality installation and maintenance, and other home improvement considerations to help you get the most out of the heating and cooing products you purchase, save energy, and save as much as 20% annually on your total energy costs.

Whether you're replacing heating and cooling equipment in your home or planning the installation of equipment in your home or planning the installation of equipment in a new home, choosing ENERGY STAR® qualified products can help keep your home comfortable year-round and contribute to a cleaner environment. ENERGY STAR® qualified products prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (D.O.E.).

You may want to consider making a change if:

Some of your rooms are too hot or cold. Duct problems, inadequate air sealing or insulation could be the cause. No matter how efficient your heating and cooling system is, if your home is not properly sealed and insulated against air leakage, you will not be as comfortable and your system will have to work harder.

Your home has humidity problems and/or excessive dust. Poorly operating or improperly sized equipment could be to blame. Leaky ductwork can also cause these problems, so having it sealed may be a solution. Monthly maintenance of your heating and cooling equipment's filters may also help.

Your cooling system is noisy. Your duct system could be improperly sized or there may be a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment.

Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up. In addition to the rise in energy costs, the age and condition of your heating and cooling equipment may have caused it to become less efficient.

Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 12 years old. Consider replacing with ENERGY STAR® qualified equipment. ENERGY STAR® has set high efficiency guidelines for both furnaces and boilers.

You leave your thermostat set at one constant temperature. You could be missing a great energy-saving opportunity. A programmable thermostat adjusts your home's temperature at times when you're regularly away or sleeping.

*Additional information is available at the ENERGY STAR Web site at www.energystar.gov.

**Source from and given permission by ENERGY STAR®