Skip to content
We’ve officially entered September, and everything fall-related has hit shelves, like pumpkin-scented candles, coffees, Halloween candy, and decor. The Chiefs’ football season has officially started, which can only mean one thing—fall is upon us! Another thing arriving soon is cooler fall weather; crisp mornings and chilly evenings will become the norm, and we’ll be grabbing jackets for trips outside the house.
With fall in full effect and knowing that Old Man Winter will be arriving soon, our air conditioners will take a back seat to our furnaces as the heat kicks on for the first time in a while. Heating a home can be expensive, but owning or renting an office in a commercial building can be even more costly.
Optimizing comfort and efficiency in an office or commercial space is crucial to your employee’s health and productivity. Continue reading for some tips about optimizing comfort and efficiency with commercial HVAC zoning and how to cut down costs on your heating bills this fall/winter and cooling bills next spring/summer.
How to Save on Commercial Heating & Cooling Bills
Unless the commercial property you own is a newer build or you’ve renovated it, the office HVAC system is probably outdated or isn’t running optimally, causing your heating and cooling bills to be astronomically high. No one likes opening bills to discover they’re higher than they’ve budgeted or expected.
Keeping your employees comfortable leads to better productivity, so why not do everything you can to optimize comfort and efficiency? Below are some tips for how to save on commercial heating and cooling bills:
1. Opt for LED Lighting
Did you know your light bulbs, lamps, and all other indoor lighting throughout your commercial property can increase your HVAC bills, especially during spring/summer? Older commercial properties or light fixtures often have incandescent bulbs inside them, but that’s a big source for your energy bills to skyrocket. Though they were mainstream decades ago, incandescent bulbs can be very hot, emitting heat and even causing fires. The next time you need to replace a bulb or to maximize efficiency, install light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
LEDs don’t get hot. Rather, they have more intricate wires that pass through conductors to emit light. There’s a lot of engineering jargon about how they work, but they have a more complex design that makes them energy-efficient and much cooler than incandescent bulbs.
2. Check the Insulation
Another great way to optimize comfort and efficiency in your commercial space is to check the insulation. Perhaps your employees are uncomfortably chilly or hot from a lack of insulation, allowing cool winter air to enter and refreshing cold air from the air conditioner to escape the building. A professional insulation company can assess your current insulation, offer solutions, and give quotes for replacing insulation to make your commercial space more energy-efficient.
3. Take Advantage of Natural Light
Did you know that natural light through a window can heat a room or office? No matter how cold it is outside, allowing natural sunlight to enter your office space or commercial building can help heat rooms, allowing you to turn the thermostat down a bit during the frigid winter months. Another bonus – you’ll save on your energy bills by utilizing more natural light!
4. Replace the Commercial HVAC System
Do you know how old your office HVAC system is? If it’s over a decade or you have no idea how old it is but appears old and your energy bills are high, it’s probably time to replace the commercial HVAC system.
Whether your office or commercial building is a single story or multiple stories, your office HVAC system works in overdrive to cool and heat your building, so why not ensure you have a quality commercial HVAC system to maximize comfort and efficiency? Cates Heating and Cooling can install a top-quality commercial HVAC system that will keep your employees/tenants comfortable and keep your energy bills down.
5. Install HVAC Zoning
Some parts of your commercial building might need more air conditioning while other areas might get less natural sunlight and need more heat. Maybe you have multiple offices and your employees have varying ideal temperatures. Regardless of your commercial building’s design, HVAC zoning is your answer to creating a permanently comfortable and efficient workspace.
The Permanent Solution: Commercial HVAC Zoning
Some employees might prefer a temperature of 65°F while others might prefer a warmer 75°F. Or, if you own a movie theatre or historical building with multiple rooms, you might want your patrons, patients, or guests to be comfortable in every room set at different temperatures, depending on natural sunlight, windows, etc. The only permanent solution to creating an ideal and efficient environment is to install a zoned HVAC system in your commercial building.
Commercial HVAC zoning systems allow employees to adjust temperatures in their offices accordingly, letting them set their offices to their ideal temperature. This optimizes productivity and creates a more comfortable atmosphere. Plus, zoned HVAC systems help save money on your energy bills by allowing you to target certain rooms to avoid heating or cooling the entire building.
Trust Cates Heating and Cooling with Your Commercial HVAC Needs
At Cates Heating and Cooling, we understand how important it is to be energy-efficient and keep your employees/tenants/patrons comfortable, especially if you own or rent a commercial property. We offer many energy-efficient and sustainable HVAC technologies for commercial properties around Kansas City like hospitals, restaurants, theaters, factories, and more:
- Boilers
- Heat Pumps
- Electric/Geothermal Heating
- Smart HVAC Systems
- Zoned HVAC Systems
We’re family-owned and operated with expertly trained technicians who have provided exceptional service to all our customers for over 50 years. We service Kansas City and surrounding cities, including the following:
& more!
Our office services include heating, cooling, air quality, and energy-efficient solutions. Contact Cates with any questions or concerns about your HVAC system and how we can help!
