It’s a fact that most people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions within the first few weeks of January. Why? One possible reason is that it takes monumental effort to suddenly change your behavior and habits. But one way to help with that is by setting yourself up for success. You can’t snack on sugar if you remove all the sugar from your house, right?
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to spend less money on your heating and cooling bills, then do we have the post for you. Here are 5 services and upgrades that will set your home up for significant HVAC savings.
Smart / Wifi Thermostat Installation
There’s probably not much wrong with your thermostat right now. They’re sturdy and dependable devices. But your basic digital thermostat isn’t doing much more for you by just sitting there. Instead, check out some of the latest smart and wireless thermostats. These offer a range of features that help make it impossible to overspend on heating and cooling.
Imagine a thermostat that can turn off the systems when no one is in the house, learn your preferences, and track your daily energy usage. It’s hard not to stay on top of your energy usage with those features.
Attic Fan Installation
We know that hot air tends to rise, but where does it go after that? Well, a large portion of it can end up becoming trapped in your attic. That air sits there and gradually changes the temperature of the air below it (the air that you’ve just cooled with your air conditioner)! That means the warm air in the attic and your air conditioner are in an on-going battle, where the only casualty is your AC’s efficiency.
Luckily, an attic fan can keep your cooling bill lower by venting out that hot air.
Ceiling Fan Installation
It sounds simple, but yes, a ceiling fan. And we don’t mean that you should use a ceiling fan in place of an air conditioner. Instead, these devices should be used year-round to help take the load off your air conditioner and heater.
Operating the ceiling fan with your air conditioner helps you feel cooler thanks to the wind-chill effect. In winter, have the fan rotate in the opposite direction to break up warm air from the ceiling, thus helping the room feel warmer.
Duct Testing and Sealing
If your HVAC system is a few years old already, then it’s definitely time to have your ducts tested. Even though the ducts remain out of sight and have the simple job of transferring air, it is possible for them to fall into disrepair. The materials keeping the ducts together can deteriorate, and pests can sometimes rip holes through flexible ductwork.
Leaks are a huge contributor to inefficiency. Nearly 30% of your air can be released through duct leaks. Not only does that cooled or heated air disappear, but your HVAC system will have to work even harder to compensate for it. Luckily, having those leaks sealed is no problem for a Plano, TX HVAC contractor.
