How Maintaining Your HVAC System Saves You Green

HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) are an important part of every home and business. They allow us to sit comfortably even when the conditions outside are bitter cold or sweltering hot. These systems can also gobble up a lot of energy, sometimes accounting for as much as half of our energy use. Yeah, definitely hungry machines. However, do not fear, because there are ways to significantly save on your energy bill each month dealing just with HVAC systems alone. Let’s explore how.

Smart Thermostat or Programmable Thermostat

Installing a smart or programmable thermostat will cause your existing equipment to run less. This will maximize your current systems efficiency, as well as lead to less maintenance as it will be used less – less usage of the heat exchanger, compressor, fan and all of the equipment.

Check Those Filters

It’s hard to remember to check a HVAC unit’s filter — I mean, it’s not exactly the top thing on everyone’s “to-do” list — but it’s an important to check your filter every month. Summertime and wintertime especially, since we tend to blast the heat/cool air during this time.If you happen to win a three month excursion

So why do you have to actually come home from Maui to change the filter? Why do they matter? Well, a dirty filter will significantly slow down the air flow and make your poor HVAC

system work way, way harder than it has to. When it works harder it wastes more energy, meaning it wastes more money. Basically, it’s like wearing an air-restricting mask while you run. Can you do it? Yes. Do you want to? Definitely not.

Duct, Duct, Seal

Ducts are the part of your HVAC system that distributes the conditioned air throughout your home or business. Leaks, holes, and improper working ducts can attribute to 20-30 percent lost air within the typical home (imagine the lost air in a business, oy). “How will I know if I have a faulty duct?” you might ask. Here’s how:

• High summer/winter utility bills
• Difficulty heating/cooling rooms
• Rooms that are stuffy
• If your ducts are located in an attic, crawlspace, or garage
• Tangled/kinked flexible duct

Voilà, you are now that much wiser in ducts.

Update That Old Thing. Treat Yourself.

If your HVAC system is older than your kid born in the 90’s, you might want to consider replacing it (the HVAC unit, not the child). A system over 10 years old should be checked by a professional HVAC contractor to see it’s performance. If it is not performing efficiently, consider replacing it. This investment could potentially save you more than 115 dollars annually on your energy bill. Ca-ching!

HVAC systems are truly a gift, so show them you appreciate them by keeping them clean, changing their filters, checking their ducts, and updating them when necessary.