We all love freebies; there is no getting around the fact that receiving something, especially something that you really need, free of charge is a great feeling. However, it is generally wise to enter into any such deals with a healthy degree of skepticism. There are certainly great opportunities to be had by thrifty homeowners out there. Often, though, hidden caveats detract from the actual value of the deal at hand. This is our feeling regarding the free thermostat offer from the city that you may have heard about. If you are in the Fort Collins, CO area, consider this information from Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning before taking the city up on this offer.
No one here is contesting that you will get precisely what the offer states should you accept it: a free, internet-enabled thermostat. There are some strings attached, though. As power companies have a difficult time supplying sufficient energy to homes throughout the area during peak times of demand, such as very hot summer afternoons, they look for ways to cut down on demand. One way in which they do so is by adjusting your free thermostat themselves when they are reaching their peak output capacity.
Ultimately, it seems that the utility company is going to be enjoying the most savings as a result of this free thermostat program, rather than their customers taking them up on the offer. Your AC must run at least 10 minutes in order to really hit its stride and run at peak efficiency levels. If your air conditioner is running throughout the day in very hot temperatures, you do not want the utility company cycling it off, reducing the efficiency with which it operates once it gets going again.
If you are serious about cutting down on energy costs, without sacrificing the level of control that you have when cooling your home, then we suggest that you simply schedule routine air conditioning maintenance services with a member of our staff. We can also evaluate your system to ensure that it is of the right size for your home and that its installation was completed properly. A finely tuned, expertly installed AC, paired with a quality thermostat of your choosing, will keep you cool with the efficiency that you deserve. If you have any further questions regarding the AC services that we offer, or about our reluctance to endorse this free thermostat offer, just give a member of the Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning team a call today.