If you’re a homeowner, it’s good practice to be familiar with factors that can drive up HVAC costs. That way, of course, you’ll be better equipped to adjust those factors to reduce the costs for you and your family. Some of the most common factors or circumstances that can increase your HVAC costs include:
- Age. If you have an aging HVAC system, that could be why your energy costs are high. Systems installed 10 or 20 years ago typically offered markedly lower energy efficiency than comparable models today, and over time, their ability to convert energy into heating or cooling gradually declines. Or if you chose to install a medium-efficiency HVAC system years ago, it has cost you more to operate than a high-efficiency system would have cost.
- Maintenance. If your heating and cooling equipment hasn’t had annual professional maintenance, or routine homeowner maintenance, it likely will cost more to operate as the years go by. Consider a quality professional service agreement to ensure your HVAC equipment is taken care of. Meanwhile, the most important thing you can do as a homeowner is to check the air filter of your forced-air system every month and change it when it gets dirty.
- Insulation. If your house has inadequate insulation and a leaky outer perimeter, your heating and cooling equipment will be forced to work harder and longer to make your home comfortable, and as a result, your HVAC costs will be higher. Consider commissioning an energy audit to show where air is leaking and insulation is substandard or missing.
- Thermostat. Poor thermostat management also can contribute to higher HVAC costs. If you just set a temperature and leave it there 24/7, your heating or cooling system will be conditioning an empty house for much of the time. Ask your trusted HVAC contractor to install a programmable thermostat that allows you to program energy-saving setbacks during the day when you’re at work, or at night when you’re sleeping.
For more advice on reducing HVAC costs in your Indianapolis area home, please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
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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