I’ve installed ceiling fans that work to distribute the heat more evenly in the winter and help to create a cooling effect in summer.
Living in Fort Worth, Texas, allows me to experience a diversity of weather. The year-round temperature fluctuates from the mid-thirties to the mid-nineties. The city sees the most snow of anywhere in Texas because it has the highest elevation and high northern latitude. There are years when we accumulate around seven inches of snow and other winters when we don’t get any. The summers tend to be especially hot and humid. Because of the local weather, it’s necessary to invest in both a heating and cooling system. For my home I have an air conditioner to handle cooling and a furnace to provide heating. The two units share a ductwork system concealed in the walls and ceilings. The temperature extremes in Fort Worth require either heating or cooling for the majority of the year, and the combination adds up to approximately fifty percent of the home’s energy consumption. Utility bills are a constant concern. I’ve gone to great lengths to tighten up my Fort Worth home and minimize energy losses. I’ve gradually updated to Energy Star rated windows and exterior doors and meticulously caulked and weatherstripped. I’ve installed ceiling fans that work to distribute the heat more evenly in the winter and help to create a cooling effect in summer. I have enrolled into a maintenance program with a local Fort Worth HVAC contractor that includes two services per year. In the fall, a licensed technician provides a thorough cleaning, inspection and adjustment of the furnace. The same procedure happens in the spring to make sure the air conditioner is operating at peak capacity and efficiency.