Four Ways To Save Money On HVAC Costs

Statistics by Energy Star, an energy conservation program by the Environmental Protection Agency reveals that the average American home spends over $2000 a year on payments of energy bills.

That includes heating and AC costs accounting for half of that amount.

With such a huge spending trend on heating, ventilation, and AC, there’s definitely a need for you to cut down on this cost and save money. Believe it or not, it is possible to spend less on your HVAC. Here are 4 great ways you can save money on HVAC expenses:

Get A New Air Conditioner

Finding a replacement for a 10-year-old central AC or window unit with a new Energy Star model can significantly cut down your cooling costs. With a new unit in place, you can save up enough AC operation money over time and offset the purchasing cost of the new unit.

Central AC units have their rating based on their Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) whereas window units’ ratings are based on their Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). The higher the rating is, the more efficient the unit is. Doubling your EER or SEER can reduce your AC operating costs by half.

New units have an EER of 8 and a SEER of 13 whereas older model units range between 6 and 7.

Hence new units are more cost-effective.

Have Your AC Tuned and Cleaned On A Regular Basis

An air conditioner that’s not well maintained can use up to 30% more energy and has a seemingly short lifespan. Central AC compressors have an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. With an effective maintenance routine procedure in place, you can potentially increase its life to 20 years.

It is vital to get professional tuning and cleaning as well as have the refrigerant levels and controls on your central AC checked once every two years. If you discover a need to recharge your refrigerant, do it as this will boost efficiency by 20% and your overall AC operation cost will be minimized. This way you can save money.

Make Use Of A Programmable Thermostat

Rather than having to manually lower or raise the temperature on the thermostat, you can opt to purchase a programmable thermostat that has the capability to handle all adjustments on its own.

Programmable thermostats can cut down on costs by automatically making adjustments to the temperature during the night or when you are away from your house.

Research has shown that reducing the temperature by 2 to 3° can save you 10% on your utility bills.

Have Drapes Or Insulating Blinds Installed On Your Windows

Statistics show that 25% of the average home’s cooled or heated air is lost through windows. Old windows contribute to the highest loss levels but new double-paned windows also have a slight level of heat and cold seeping through them.

Installing new windows can be an option you can go for if you have the money to do it but if this investment isn’t in your budget, then you can opt to install drapes or blinds. They are widely available in the market and you can install them yourself.

By doing this you will save a surmountable amount of money on heating and cooling your house.

HVAC can be costly, but with these four tips, you can save a lot of money. AC and refrigeration units use freon gas which is quite expensive. Discover this freon replacement that will save you money.

Aside from HVAC, you can also help conserve water by considering the use of bathroom facilities such as shower, flush, and bidet. The bathroom has the highest consumed water so make sure you have efficient tools such as a bidet seat to help conserve water.