Did you know that in a typical commercial building in the United States, 40% of the energy costs go toward heating, cooling, and ventilation? Knowing this might cause you to ask the question, how can I decrease the energy costs in my commercial building? If you want to use less energy, especially during the winter months, here are three ways to lower commercial heating costs in your building.
Lower Your Thermostat
During the winter, the Department of Energy & Environment recommends commercial building owners to set their thermostats at 68 degrees, when people are in the building. When people are not in the building, you should adjust the thermostat between 60 and 65 degrees. This will help reduce your commercial heating costs and can help you to pay 3% less for every degree the thermostat is lowered.
While your employees might complain that a temperature of 68 degrees is too chilly, you can remind them to do the following in order to stay warm:
- Dress in layers
- Drink a hot beverage or eat something hot for lunch, like soup
- Wear heated slippers
- Use a heated cushion
- Wear fingerless gloves
You can also remind them that you are not trying to torture them by keeping the thermostat at 68 degrees, but you are trying to save on energy costs.
Replace Your Heating System
If your heating system is not working properly, it's constantly needing to be repaired, or it is simply too old, chances are it's affecting your commercial heating costs. When it comes to the age of your heating system and its components, here are some guidelines as to how long they are typically good for:
- Boiler - 30 years
- Electric water heaters - 12 to 14 years
- Furnaces - 18 years
- Heat pumps - 15 years
If you have had any of this equipment for longer than the recommended number of years, it might be time to get it replaced.
Check Your Doors and Windows
If you have your thermostat set at 68 degrees and you have relatively new heating equipment that is in good working order, but too much money is still going toward your energy costs, you may want to check your doors and windows. If there are any drafts, there is a good chance that heat is escaping. Even a gap of 1/8 of an inch under a door that is 36 inches wide will let in as much cold air as a hole in the wall measuring 2.4-inches in diameter.
For more information, talk to companies like Mercury Tec.
