Installing Better HVAC For Energy Savings

Updated 4/11/22

With the seasons changing, gratitude for the heat is mingled with a sense of apprehension surrounding the cost of heating and air conditioning. The same scene plays out by the time it starts to cool down again. Everyone begins scrambling, thinking about hvac technician or perhaps, buying a new heating and cooling unit. As you compare the different types of central heat and air units, energy consumption is a value to have top of mind. You may be considering the purchase of an a/c furnace combo or something completely different for your heating and air conditioning needs.

As you do, taking time to think about the level of energy waste and possible savings to be made could cut thousands of dollars from your future spending budget. Understanding why energy waste could be happening in your home and what to do about it will allow you to make the best decision in the long run. As you consider more efficient types of central heat and air units, here are a few questions and solutions to ponder before you make any changes to your home or ask around about hvac technician.

Heating and cooling systems can be found in most American homes and public buildings today, and altogether, these HVAC systems use up a vast amount of electricity so that they can warm up and cool down homes in summer and winter. Even when operating and maximum efficiency, these home climate devices consume a lot of power; nearly 50% of a home’s energy, on average, goes toward heating and cooling, but if this system is damaged or if the home leaks warm or cool air, energy waste will be the consequence. No one wants energy waste, especially when it shows up on their electric bill, so any homeowner or building manager would be well advise to clean, repair, or even replace their air conditioning with eco-friendly, newer systems that make for an energy-efficient home. Energy waste can be cut down considerably when the right steps are taken. How can insulation methods for a building and a good HVAC system work together to curb energy waste?

Why Energy Waste?

How does so much electricity get wasted on bad heating and cooling systems in the first place? Even if the HVAC system is in fine working order, the rest of the home might be the problem, mainly in terms of insulation. If the windows or doors are drafty, they will constantly leak warm or cool air, and this forces the HVAC system to work overtime to compensate for that constant loss, and this adds up pretty fast. The same is true if a window does not have blinds to keep out hot sunlight in summer or drapes to keep in warm air during winter; bare windows, even if they are not drafty, can still result in an overworked heating or cooling system. And what is more, the walls or attic may have thin, damaged, or absent insulation, and this will also contribute to wasted cool or warm air.

The heating or cooling system itself might be the problem. If the blower fans are caked with grim such as pollen, dust, spiderwebs, or other materials, they cannot blow air as well and have to work extra hard to deliver the right amount of cool or warm air. And the air ducts may be damaged and have rips or holes that leak air, and if squirrels break into the home, they might build nests in the ducts that impede air flow. If the air ducts and vent are also caked with grime or blocked with furniture, this also impedes air flow, and the outside unit may be damaged or clogged with grime. And finally, if a repair crew improperly installed a system, this can reduce the whole system’s efficiency by about 30% or so.

Solutions for Energy Waste

Home improvement solutions can be implemented to reduce energy waste and make the home more comfortable to live in, and this may mean taking care of the climate control. Blinds or sun screens can be installed on windows to block hot sunlight during certain times of the day to relieve stress on the air conditioner, and in autumn and winter, drapes can help keep warm air in the home. Insulation can be added to the walls or roof with spray foam, which a homeowner can apply themselves or hire crews to add. All this is a step in the right direction.

Finally, the heating and cooling system itself can be repaired or replaced with smart technology to reduce heating and cooling costs and create a energy efficient home. Old heating and cooling systems will be dirty and worn out from many years of use, and even when they were first built, they would not live up to modern standards of energy efficiency, so very old systems are more price-friendly and eco-friendly to simply remove entirely and replace with a new HVAC system that has modern features. Such a new system will be clean and powerful, and it may have extra features for the heating and cooling schedule and it will be energy-efficient to keep the electric bills low. When combined with good attic insulation and window treatments, this can make a home as energy-efficient as possible, and comfortable to live in. Local crews can be hired to get this installation job done right.