What Are the Benefits of an AC Energy Evaluation?
Here in the South, you deal with both swelteringly hot summer seasons and cold winters. Having an energy-efficient heating & cooling system in your home can not just save you money, but, it can also improve the comfort of your home and increase its resale value.
Is your HVAC running as efficiently as it could be? The only way to find out is to have an energy evaluation done on your home and unit.
What Does An Energy Evaluation Report?
The objective of a house energy audit is to discover methods to improve your home’s energy performance. An HVAC specialist will go through your house and look at everything from the size of your home to your windows, your insulation, and your ductwork.
At the end of the audit, you will get a report detailing your locations where you have a chance of reducing your energy usage.
It will also explain any heating or air conditioning maintenance that you might need to perform to get your unit running more efficiently.
Based on the information you are given during your home energy audit, you can make a range of changes and updates to your heating and cooling systems, allowing you to save money on your electrical power expenses. For instance, if your ducts are not clean or have leaks in them, air conditioning maintenance can improve airflow.
Why The Average Home is Running Inefficiently As Far As AC Costs Go
Many homeowners have windows that are not caulked correctly or do not have UV filters. Installing windows with UV filters can cool off houses during the summer and keep warmth in throughout the winter.
If your windows and the joints in your home are not sealed properly, it can result in drafts and rooms that are different temperatures from the remainder of the house. By following recommended cooling maintenance tips, you can considerably improve the air quality in your house by making sure that filters and ductwork are perfect.
A lot of homes have tiny cracks or holes all around the building. Most, if you put all the tiny gaps and cracks together, would have a hole the size of a basketball in their wall. Your energy audit will address all of these issues.
The Actual Cost of Inefficiency
With the cost of power rising, individuals are worried about the long term expenses and effectiveness of running an energy inefficient home. For every single dollar-a-year reduction in energy costs, the value of a home increases by $20.
As much as half of the energy utilized in your house goes to heating & cooling. So making clever choices about your home’s heating, aerating, and air conditioning system can have a big impact on your utility expenses and your comfort.
Take these steps to increase the efficiency of your heating & cooling system.
Increasing The Efficiency of Your HVAC System
Examine your filter each month, particularly during heavy usage months (winter season and summer). If the filter looks unclean after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A filthy filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool.
Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve performance and convenience.
A programmable thermostat is ideal for individuals who are away from house throughout set durations of time throughout the week. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy expenses.
Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the effectiveness of your heating & cooling system by as much as 20 percent and sometimes far more. Focus first on sealing ducts that go through the attic, crawlspace, or garage.
Next, aim to seal any other ducts that you can access in the heated or cooled part of your house.
Keep It Running Strong By Taking Care of Your HVAC
If your HVAC equipment is more than ten years old, or not keeping your house comfy, have it evaluated by our team of experts.
Depending on where you live, changing your old heating & cooling devices with ENERGY STAR qualified devices can cut your annual energy expense by more than $115.
But before you buy a new HVAC system, make certain that you have dealt with the big air leaks in your house and the duct system by performing an AC energy evaluation first.
Contact us today to schedule your inspection.