HVAC Tips to Reduce Your Utility Costs

Home owners are concerned with making their homes energy efficient while saving money at the same time.

The focus of home improvement projects used to be focused solely on beautifying the home. In today’s energy aware world, home owners are more concerned with making their houses more energy efficient. There are a number of home improvement projects that your St. Louis HVAC company can help you with that may have a drastic effect on your utility bill.

Upgrading the HVAC System

Start your energy efficient home improvement projects with your HVAC system. The HVAC system accounts for up to 50% of your homes’ total energy consumption. You can upgrade the HVAC system to a newer, more efficient furnace and central air conditioning unit. You may also reduce your utility bill by up to 25% by adding a digital thermostat and zoning system to your existing HVAC system.

Digital Thermostats and Zoning Systems

A digital thermostat saves you money by allowing you to control when the HVAC system operates and at what temperature. Even when no one is home, the digital thermostat can be programmed to turn on at a preset time and have the house comfortable before the first family member returns. HVAC zoning works by directing cooled or heated air to the rooms where you want it. This involves the installation of motorized dampers inside of the existing duct work of your HVAC system. These are controlled by your digital thermostat which can be programmed to direct the conditioned air into the living areas of your home during the day and into the bedrooms at night. You can also restrict the flow of air to areas of your home that are unused like spare bedrooms and basements. You spend less money on energy consumption since your HVAC system is expending less.

Additional HVAC Tips

• Change the filters regularly. Dirty air filters in your HVAC system make it work harder, costing you more money to have it running.
• Seal the duct work running through your home. The EPA estimates that a house loses up to 20% of its conditioned air through the duct work. Ask your HVAC representative how to prevent this by having the duct work professionally sealed.
• Seal all drafts in your house. These are found around windows, doors, pipes, and outlets. With a few tubes of silicone you can reduce the amount of outside air entering your home and the amount of your conditioned air that is escaping. To test for drafts, light a candle and hold it up to those known trouble spots.
• Pile on the insulation inside the walls, in your attic, crawl space, and in your basement. Heavy layers of insulation will help your HVAC system run more efficiently.
• Have your HVAC system checked and maintained regularly by an expert HVAC company. By cleaning the unit and replacing worn or broken parts, you not only save on energy, you prolong the life of your HVAC system.