How to Make Your HVAC System More Energy Efficient

Have your heating and cooling bills been a bit higher than you’d like them to be?

If so, you can reduce them, because you have more control over your utility bills than you

might realize.

To make your HVAC system less costly and more energy efficient, heed the following tips.

Check Your Air Filter Monthly

If your air filter is clogged up with dirt and debris, it can restrict airflow and cause your HVAC

unit to work much harder to get the job done.

You may have to replace your air filter every month, or it may last two or three months.

This will depend on several factors, such as whether you have pets, live in a polluted region,

or have a smoker in your house.

Hold your filter up to the light once a month, and if you can still see light shining through,

it’s probably clean enough to another month.

If you can’t see through it, it’s time for a replacement.

Monitor Your Ventilation

In order to control the climate in your home, your HVAC unit needs to have clear pathways

through the ductwork in your house.

Make sure registers are clean by dusting and vacuuming them regularly.

Also make certain that all vents are open and that no pieces of furniture are obstructing

the airflow.

It’s wise to routinely check your visible ductwork and correct any of the following issues:

• Holes in the ducts
• Gaps between duct connections
• Airflow leakages

Program Your Thermostat

You can save money on your energy bills every month if you use a programmable thermostat.

This takes the responsibility off your shoulders to remember to turn the temperature up and

down before you go to work and after you get home.

If you program your thermostat to stay cooler in the winter when you’re away, and warmer in

the summer, you can save a substantial amount of money on your utility bills.

Set the timer to have the temperature readjusted to more comfortable settings a half hour or

so before you arrive home.

Close Your Curtains

By blocking out direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day, you can keep the interior

of your house cooler during the summer.

This is especially true of insulated curtains, drapes, and blinds.

In the heat of the day, close your blinds, and watch your utility bills drop.

Buy a More Efficient HVAC System

If your heating and air conditioning system is more than a decade old, it may be time to replace

it with a more energy efficient model.

Today’s high-efficiency units use a remarkably small amount of electricity or gas to cool or heat

a home.

Even though there will be an initial outlay of cash when you buy a new HVAC system, you will

see a substantial drop in your utility bills which will offset the cost.

Buying an energy-efficient system is an investment in your home.

You don’t have to blow your budget just to keep your house warm in the winter and cool in

the summer.

If you implement some of these money-saving tactics to reduce your utility bills, you can save

cash all year long and still be comfortable inside your home, no matter what the weather is

like outside.

How have you made your HVAC system more energy efficient?

Share your suggestions, thoughts and comments with us.

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