Thursday, September 15, 2016

Look for the STAR – Benefits of ENERGY STAR® certified exhaust fans

You see the logo all over, that bright blue square seems to be on almost every appliance in the aisle but what does it really mean?

ENERGY STAR is a division of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) that is concerned with the energy efficiency (among other items) of products. ENERGY STAR certified products meet strict requirements as put forth by the EPA.

For exhaust fans they must pass testing for energy efficiency (known as efficacy or CFM per watt), sound (sones) and air flow (CFM). The ratings are certified by the Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) – an ENERGY STAR certification body. Once a fan is determined to meet the requirements, it can then be marketed as ENERGY STAR certified.

Certified exhaust fans operate at lower sound levels, use less energy and last longer than traditional exhaust fans which takes a lot of the guess work out of choosing a fan. Not all fans are tested and held to any standard, but ENERGY STAR labeled fans are not only certified but also verified through open market testing. A main benefit of an ENERGY STAR certified product is that you can be assured that the fan has been tested and certified and will perform as advertised.

To learn more about Air Kings large selection of ENERGY STAR certified exhaust fans and kitchen range hoods, visit www.airkinglimited.com

Thursday, September 1, 2016

How Energy Efficient is Your Home?

One of the joys of home ownership (and for many renters) are the wonderful reminders we receive each month of how much it costs to live where we live – bills.

Have you ever looked at your energy bill and asked yourself how it could be so high? Or worse, have not looked at it and just chalk it up to it is what it is.

Thankfully there are some easy steps that we can take that can greatly decrease our energy usage. ENERGY STAR® has developed some great resources to help you asses your home and look for ways to improve. Through the My ENERGY STAR program you can assess your homes energy usage, find recommendations on how to improve it as well as a host of other information about saving energy. Most of the recommended items are very easy to complete but can have large lifetime impact on your energy usage. A large benefit of utilizing these tools is creating awareness that can have a positive influence on your decision making. The next time you need to buy an appliance, you might look a little more into what the energy usage is and make that a determining factor on which model you choose. How about the next time you need to replace a light bulb. Instead of just using what you have always used, see what changing to an ENERGY STAR certified LED will do.

The nice thing about saving energy is there is a multitude of ways to go about it and they all help. To learn more about the My ENERGY STAR® program visit the ENERGY STAR web site at www.energystar.gov. For more energy savings ideas and information on how Air King can help, visit www.airkinglimited.com