The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is the complex network utilized in your home to allow clean and temperature-regulated air into your home.
It’s simply one of those things you need to live each day in your home as comfortably as possible. After all, you use it to provide the necessary warmth during the cold seasons and the cool air when it’s humid and hot! It filters your indoor air to keep you safe and healthy in your household while balancing the comfort level you expect to achieve. In Texas, your HVAC system can contribute up to 60% of your total energy usage and greatly affects the size of your energy bills.
Maintaining the HVAC system is therefore an essential activity that homeowners should regularly undertake to ensure their home stays comfortable in all seasons and that energy bills do not skyrocket. Keep reading below to determine how to manage your heating and cooling system to ensure you save more money efficiently.
If your air conditioning unit has a disposable air filter, then remember to replace it every two to three months—or the moment they have clogged up with dirt. It will ensure you continue getting the most out of your cooling system. But if you are using a reusable air filter, you should learn to clean it regularly.
Not replacing your air filters for months can lead to gunk build up in the condensate drainpipes. These are typically PVC drainpipes that connect your furnace (that is located inside your house in the attic or a utility room) to the exterior of the home. Gunk buildup will stop condensate water from draining out. Over time this accumulated water in the drainage pipes may leak out through pipe corners leading to costly home water damage or even cause your HVAC system to completely shut off.
To ensure that your drainage pipe is clean pour half a cup of a half and half mixture of hot water and bleach or a half and half mixture of hot water and white vinegar down the drain. You should do this every time you change your filter. White vinegar is preferred as bleach may also eat through copper and the drain pan at the end of the pipe. The drainpipe can be usually accessed next to the furnace.
For your AC unit to operate correctly, you need to clear out the space around it by removing any debris that could block your system from the outside. That way, you can expect the air circulation to keep running without any interruptions.
Part of managing your AC is keeping it clean by getting rid of any mold and other dirt particles found outside the system that could affect the quality of the air you receive. Remember to also clear out the concrete slab to prevent obstructions from blocking your unit from draining water properly.
While it may seem an unnecessary expense at first, signing up for a HVAC maintenance plan with a reputable local company will not only help extend the life of your system but also reduce your energy bills.
A maintenance plan or a tune-up plan that you buy should consist of the following items:
It may also make sense to sign up for an annual plan as HVAC contractors will then provide a discount for the bundled summer and winter service. One such service that we at WattZero like is the “BAM plan” provided by Abacus in Houston.
Cold air from your AC unit can often leak through windows, doors, and other cracks and openings in your house. Sealing these cracks and openings prevents the indoor air from escaping and thus reducing the amount of work your HVAC system must do. Sealing of entry points also reduces cold drafts making your home more comfortable to identify leaks and drafts, place your hands near windows and doors from outside to see if any air is leaking. In winters heavier cold air may come in from the same leaks. Light up a candle and walk through your home with focus on windows and doors to identify leaks and drafts.
Once identified, leaks can be sealed in by weather stripping, caulking, and sealing.
The temperature you set your AC unit on can affect your bills, so it’s best to get a programmable thermostat and create home and away thermostat profiles. A programmable thermostat can be set to your comfort temperature while you are at a home and can increase or decrease temperatures when you are away to reduce energy costs. Most smart thermostats come up with mobile apps that you can use to turn temperatures to your comfort level when you are away but heading home. That way, you can have a seamless comfortable experience when you arrive home.
A thermostat only reads the temperature of the area surrounding its location. It is, therefore, important that you choose a location where the average temperature is representative of the average home temperature. If the thermostat is placed on a wall near an exterior door or beside a window, it’s temperature readings will be affected by the outside air coming in when the door opens or temperatures just outside the window. Similarly, thermostats installed directly in front of a register that is blasting cold or hot air will incorrectly measure the home temperature. Due to the sensitivity of the thermostat temperature readings to its location we recommend contacting a professional to set up your new thermostat for you.
When you go to your favorite weather website, you often come across the term “feels like” or wind chill. They refer to how cold the body would actually feel given the wind conditions on that day. The wind tends to speed up the heat removal process from close to your body. Similarly, fans perform the same process in your home and by removing hot air from close to your body, they can actually make you feel cooler than it is. Using fans is an excellent way to reduce your energy bills during summer.
Another advantage of using fans is that they improve the air circulation inside the home reducing the workload of your HVAC furnace and thereby saving energy and money.
Your HVAC system plays an integral role in regulating your home’s internal temperature. It works to maintain the comfort and relaxation you and your family deserves! If you’re looking to cut back on your electricity expenses, you should learn to keep your heating and cooling systems working properly and remember the tips above to help you conserve energy. That way, you can continue to take advantage of the good working condition of your HVAC system for the years to come.
WattZero provides a unique HVAC health monitoring system that leverages your energy data to identify any issues with your HVAC system. If you are in Texas, sign up with us on our website or reach out to us on our Facebook page and we will set you up with our monitoring system. The online system is non-invasive and is absolutely free to our Texas customers. This is just another way how we are helping our energy customers in Texas.
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