Multiple factors can contribute to an HVAC system’s energy efficiency; among them is how well-insulated a home is.
Insulated buildings can help retain conditioned air and reduce energy usage. Additional tactics to reduce energy use include closing your curtains and blinds during the day and turning down your thermostat by one degree in the summer and winter.
For more tips on improving HVAC energy efficiency, check out this website for helpful insights!
1. Install a programmable thermostat.
Programmable thermostats allow for automated temperature adjustments. Your system only runs when it’s needed, saving energy and money. By taking this approach, your system operates more efficiently.
Programmable thermostats enable you to reduce heating and cooling when not required, like during work or school hours, aiding in energy conservation. They can also be set to increase heating later on so your home will be cozy when everyone returns home from their daily duties.
Some programmable thermostats also include smart adaptation features to learn your preferences and schedule to optimize energy usage, track energy usage and notify you of system issues as they happen, even being accessible through smartphones for convenience and control.
2. Install a zoning system.
If the temperatures in certain rooms in your home feel uncomfortable, you could be expending extra energy to heat or cool all of the rooms simultaneously. This causes your HVAC system to work overtime, resulting in higher utility bills.
HVAC zoning systems offer both comfort and energy savings by creating different heating and cooling zones within your home, controlled by thermostats with dampers installed within air ducts to adjust according to the temperature settings on each thermostat. Dampers open and close according to thermostat settings to achieve an ideal temperature in each zone.
In addition to saving energy, zoning systems can possibly reduce your energy costs by up to 30% by preventing overheating or overcooling in your vacant rooms.
Unfortunately, zoning systems only work effectively with two-stage modulating equipment, as single-stage units cannot ramp down to meet lower temperature needs for each zone.
3. Schedule regular preventative maintenance.
Most HVAC systems require regular preventative maintenance to function efficiently and save both energy and money by ensuring the peak performance of their systems. Homeowners and business owners can benefit from taking this proactive step to maintain peak system performance.
Technicians trained to perform regular maintenance can recognize and address potential issues before they become major headaches. For instance, this could involve recognizing an oversized unit that consumes too much energy, cleaning dirty coils to reduce overheating or checking thermostat settings to make sure that everything is set correctly.
Neglected HVAC systems need to work harder to function, which results in greater utility costs and shorter equipment lifespans. Preventative maintenance allows technicians to change air filters, clean coils, and evaluate thermostat settings.
All of which help increase HVAC energy efficiency and decrease operational expenses. Plus, having regular service appointments prevents unscheduled repairs at inconvenient moments!
4. Change your air filter regularly.
Your HVAC system relies on its air filter to keep contaminants out of its parts, such as the blower fan and blower fan motor. Regretfully, it accumulates dust and particles over time, making your system work harder, wasting energy, and raising your power costs.
Maintaining regular air filter changes will help your HVAC energy efficiency. Your air filter is one of the only parts directly impacting how much power your unit uses, so regularly replacing it is key for optimizing energy usage.
Make sure your ducts are clear of obstruction, as this could reduce energy efficiency. Keep furniture, draperies, rugs and other objects away from vents to allow air to flow freely.
Fans are an excellent way to distribute hot and cold air throughout your home, reducing strain on your HVAC system and helping ensure a comfortable temperature across every corner. Energy-efficient windows also reduce infrared and ultraviolet light that passes through them, saving energy as a result.
5. Turn off electronics.
As energy rates across the nation steadily increase, a lot of homeowners are seeking ways to reserve their money and lower their carbon footprint without compromising comfort. By making some simple adjustments to their HVAC system, many can significantly increase efficiency while cutting energy usage significantly.
As your first step, locate your breaker box – generally found in either the basement or utility room of your home – then identify which circuit breaker controls your HVAC system and switch it off; this will halt its power source and prevent accidental restart during maintenance or repairs.
As soon as they’re not being used, turn off electronics that generate heat (such as exercise equipment or computers). This helps your AC system operate more efficiently by reducing the electricity used to generate heat.
Finally, air filters must remain unclogged at all times to allow efficient functioning – any clogs force your system to work harder and use up additional energy resources.
6. Avoid using hot appliances near vents and during peak hours.
Using heat-producing equipment like dryers, stoves, and ovens throughout the summer considerably raises interior temperatures, which puts stress on your HVAC system. Limiting these activities to early mornings and evenings when temperatures are cooler will reduce strain on your AC.
Insulating your home, including its ductwork and pipes, is one way to enhance energy efficiency by stopping air from escaping your conditioned space and helping heating/cooling equipment function at its optimal capacity.
Reducing the load on your HVAC unit by keeping curtains and blinds closed on hot summer days by blocking sunlight will allow the AC unit to operate with less strain; conversely, opening curtains and blinds during cold winter days allows natural sunlight to warm your home naturally, further decreasing its load on your system.