1. Bad Ducts Cost Money
Incredibly easy to overlook, bad ductwork can waste massive amounts of energy, reduce the comfort of your home, look terrible, and even encourage pests to take up residence. Make sure that when you hire a contractor, they’re not skimping on the ductwork; look for leaks, wasteful openings, and other signs of shoddy work. Similarly, keep up with duct maintenance and have them cleaned regularly.
2. Efficiency Adds Up
Small gains in efficiency on their own may not seem like they’re saving you significantly on your bills, but they are! Homeowners that invest in high efficiency heating and cooling, weatherproof their home, keep filters and intakes clean, and generally focus on efficiency will over time see significant reductions to their utility bills.
3. Humidity Matters
Your heating and air conditioning systems lose efficiency when the humidity in your home gets too high. Make sure that your ventilation fans are on when running a hot shower, boiling water, or even putting a meal in the oven. If you notice your home is constantly too humid, investing in a portable dehumidifier can help control large spaces.
4. An Insulated Home Saves Money
See light around your door frame? Get drafts through the living room window? This is adding on to your energy bills. Proper insulation counts towards bills far more than many homeowners realize, so invest in proper insulation and keep your home the right temperature.
5. Heat Pumps Can Do Double Duty
If you want a year-round high-efficiency solution, consider heat pumps. New breakthroughs, including geothermal installations, make them greater than ever for year round comfort at an affordable price.
6. Regular Maintenance is Crucial
Lots of little problems can add up quite quickly on your utility bill. Leaks in refrigerant, gas, water, or any other sort can also cause serious damage to your home, so watch out!
7. Poor Appliance Sizing Can Be Wasteful
Whether you’re running an air conditioner that’s too small for your home or have a furnace that’s too large, poor sizing means poor efficiency in HVAC. Systems are designed to run at a certain peak for certain amounts of time; too large or small and they have to work harder to do their job.
8. Filters Should Be Cleaned or Replaced Regularly
Letting filters turn into grime-caked walls on your intake system isn’t just a problem for air quality, it reduces the efficiency of your system. Remember to clean the filter regularly, and replace it entirely as recommended for your heating and air conditioning unit.
9. Canadians Over-Use Energy
Canadians are the second largest consumer of energy per capita in the world. With a population far lesser than the United States, China, or India, Canadians need to find more ways to lessen their heating and air conditioning usage, and save on energy.
10. Variable Speed Systems Can Slash Energy Costs
On and off aren’t particularly energy efficient choices. Look for systems with variable fans speeds and output levels to achieve and maintain maximum comfort without running up your bills.
Want to learn more about your heating and air conditioning systems, follow up on one of these facts, or schedule an appointment for an estimate on an installation? Contact us today!
