There’s no doubt that an HVAC or air conditioner is one of the most expensive appliances in your home.
Unfortunately, it also happens to be the most expensive to maintain. In case it breaks down, you require a substantial amount of money to repair it.
But since it is among the most important appliances, you don’t have a choice but to install it in your home. The best thing you can do is try to look for an HVAC unit that’s energy efficient and easy to operate.
When your HVAC unit is energy efficient, you save a lot in terms of the cost energy bills every month. That’s why you should do everything possible to ensure that your unit is energy efficient.
There are several things that you can also do to maintain your HVAC efficiency. They include the following:
1. Change your air filter
Although homeowners understand that they are supposed to regularly change their air filters, most of them do not realize how it is connected with energy efficiency. The main purpose of the air filter is to block debris and dust from contaminating the air in your house.
As time goes by, the pollutants accumulate in the air filter. This means that the HVAC unit has to overwork in order to generate clean air.
If you don’t clean or change your air filter, then it means the quality of air in your house will be poor. Experts suggest that air filters should be changed at least every three months.
2. Use a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat is another great way to improve the energy efficiency of your HVAC unit. The ability to decrease the temperatures in your home can make a lot of difference when it comes to your monthly energy bills.
The best way to reduce the temperatures in your house is by using a thermostat to automatically adjust temperatures when you are away or asleep. Besides, you can as well pre-set your thermostat manually to change temperatures at specific times or dates.
3. Routine maintenance
It is always easy to postpone or forget about the routine maintenance of your HVAC system, especially when you are held up. Routine maintenance is important because it helps you identify some of the things that are causing your unit not to function properly.
For example, you will be able to check several parts such as the filters, and determine if they need to be cleaned or replaced to increase efficiency.
During maintenance, your technician is also supposed to check the refrigerant levels, calibrate the HVAC unit, and clean the drain lines among other things.
4. Use household fans
The use of a programmable thermostat together with a ceiling fan can help a lot in increasing energy efficiency for your HVAC system. This is because ceiling fans may assist in circulating cool air during the hot summer period.
Besides, ceiling fans also play an important role during the winter period. During winter, hot air happens to rise, making it hard to heat homes that have high ceilings. But with a fan, the hot air is efficiently pushed across the house.
5. Sealing of household gaps
This is something that most homeowners often don’t realize. Household gaps act as a passage for the air and heat coming from the HVAC unit. Because of that, your HVAC unit will have to perform extra harder to attain the required temperatures.
Small gaps are normally found around the doors and windows. Try to examine these places to identify the possible areas of exit. The good thing is that these gaps can be easily fixed with some caulk.
You can also use foam gaskets to prevent air loss from switch plates and outlets. Most of these issues can be fixed during routine maintenance.
Bottom Line
An HVAC system is one of the most important appliances in any home. However, you should find ways to maintain its efficiency so as to reduce your monthly energy bills.
