When you are buying a house, it’s important to evaluate home efficiency in addition to curb appeal. When you consider that the costs of heating and cooling your home accounts for nearly half of total energy usage, perhaps no other home system impacts your energy budget for better or worse than your HVAC system. Use these five tips for HVAC evaluation to help you make the right home buying decisions.
System Types
Get to know your HVAC systems of your prospective dream home. Is there a furnace and central air unit installed? Does the heat pump use gas or electricity for backup heating? Are the systems installed to your liking or do you see a system overhaul in the near future? These are all important questions to consider before buying a house.
Furnace Efficiency
Gas furnaces are the mainstay for home heating in the Indianapolis area, and for good reason. Furnaces are built to last and provide efficient heating. However, not all furnaces are alike. Check the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating so you have a good estimate of heating costs year after year.
Air Ducts
Ask the homeowner or real estate agent when the last time the air ducts were serviced and cleaned. Leaky, inefficient, and dirty ducts can wreak havoc on your energy budget and indoor air quality. Poor duct design means dismal comfort and high energy bills.
Add-on Features
Whole-home air purifiers, humidifiers, and zoning systems are HVAC add-on units that help ensure healthful indoor air quality, comfortable humidity levels, and maintaining optimal comfort room to room. If your new home already has these systems, you’re in luck! If not, consider including these upgrades when financing.
Repair and Replacement Considerations
If the HVAC system in your prospective dream home needs to be repaired or replaced, it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. In fact, it could be a negotiating tool to include the cost of the repair or new system in the final price.
When buying a house, let Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing help you make the right decision in regards to HVAC knowledge and considerations.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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