We all have a responsibility to do whatever we can to protect the environment, as even implementing a few small changes can make a big difference over time. One method of making your home heating and cooling more environmentally conscious is reducing your energy consumption.
The good news is that limiting your energy use doesn’t have to make your life more difficult or your home less welcoming because you can easily invest in more efficient heating and cooling units, or make improvements to the systems that you already have.
The following HVAC tips can help you reduce your carbon footprint and assist you in doing your part to protect our environment for future generations.
1) Go with an Energy Efficient Furnace and Air Conditioner
If you have an older furnace or air conditioner in your home, it probably isn’t a high-efficiency model. In these situations, you’re likely using more energy that you need to, which is not only bad for the environment but is also costing you money every month.
In fact, some older furnaces only run at about 60% efficiency, while newer models are mostly above 95%, so you can see that there is a significant discrepancy.
Have a look at the age of your existing heating and air conditioning systems to see if it’s time for an upgrade. Remember that most furnaces last 15-25 years, and once you approach those years, you’ll probably start running into some costly repairs, making it cost-effective to replace the unit.
When the time does come to replace your system, commit to one of the more energy efficient models for the best results.
2) Invest in a Smart Thermostat
Your thermostat influences how much energy you use. The majority of homeowners turn their thermostat higher than it needs to be in the winter and leave the unit turned on while they’re not at home. Of course, no one wants to return to a cold home at the end of the day, so what’s the solution?
Why, a smart thermostat, of course. Smart thermostats have a variety of options, as you can control the temperature remotely through your phone or set it to turn on and off at certain hours. Perhaps the best benefit of a smart thermostat, however, is that it learns your schedule and will adjust the temperature in your house accordingly.
For example, if everyone is usually away between 8:00 AM and 5:30 PM during the week, the thermostat will pick up on this after a couple of weeks and start turning the furnace or air conditioning down when no one is there. It will then switch your system back on before you return home, so your house will always be a comfortable temperature when someone is there.
3) Install Some Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are highly efficient and can reduce the amount of energy you use heating and cooling your home. This point is particularly accurate if you’re currently using electric baseboard heaters or window-mount air conditioners, as heat pumps use up to 50% less electricity than these other devices.
There are a few different types of heat pumps on the market, so you can make a choice based on how much you want to spend and whether or not you want the unit to operate within your ductwork. No matter which version to go with, however, you can expect lower energy bills and a more environmentally friendly home.
4) Have Your Ducts Cleaned
It sounds simple, but having a professional company clean your ductwork could reduce the amount of energy that you use. When ducts fill up with dust and debris, your heating and cooling systems have to work harder to push air throughout the home, which means you’ll use more energy.
Go with a brush through and negative air duct cleaning service because this is the best way to get absolutely everything out of your ducts. A bonus is that cleaning your ductwork limits the dust and other pollutants that enter the air you breath in your home.
5) Maintain Your Heating and Cooling Units
A properly maintained furnace or air conditioner will always run more efficiently than one that is ignored. It makes sense when you think about it, as units that don’t receive regular maintenance end up with dirty filters and much like with clogged ducts, air can’t flow through the unit properly.
Luckily, your HVAC service provider can put you on a regular maintenance schedule, so you don’t have to worry about your furnace or air conditioner performing at anything less than an optimal level.
Doing Your Part for the Environment
As you can see, it doesn’t take much to reduce your energy consumption by making your HVAC system more efficient. And these steps won’t make your home any less comfortable; they will merely make it easier to keep your living spaces at the ideal temperature.
Hunt’s Services can help you with all of these jobs and will ensure that your home is not only as energy efficient as possible, but that you will never have to compromise your comfort as you become a more environmentally friendly family.
