Your HVAC system in Macon, GA, is a critical part of making your home comfortable throughout the year. However, it often comes with a significant price tag thanks to the summer heat and winter chill. Follow these seven tips for boosting your HVAC efficiency and keeping those costs under control:
Find a Way to Use Your Thermostat Programs
Modern digital thermostats come equipped with the ability to set programs to adjust your temperature throughout the day. The Department of Energy suggests you can save up to 10% of your annual energy costs by leveraging your programs.
Simply adjust your temperature by 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day. An ideal time to make this adjustment is during the day while everyone is away from your home. Another option is at night while everyone is asleep in bed.
Check On Your Insulation
Insulation keeps the heat inside your home in the winter and outside your home in the summer. Georgia is in Climate Zone 3, which means the recommendation is 13 to 14 inches of R-38 insulation.
The R-value refers to how poorly the insulation transfers heat. The higher the R-value, the less heat it’ll allow through. However, there must be enough insulating material to allow it to do its job.
Make Sure to Replace Your Filter
The entire process through which your HVAC system works relies on its ability to circulate air. One of the most common restrictions to that airflow is a dirty furnace filter. This is also one of the most common causes of excessive strain-related heating and air conditioning repairs.
Plan to replace your filter regularly, about every 90 days if you have a 1- or 2-inch filter. If you have a 3-inch filter or larger, it could be as infrequently as every four to 12 months. Plan to check your filter every month and gently vacuum it off to boost its efficiency between changes.
Seal & Insulate Your Ducts
A significant source of energy loss in your HVAC system is leakage from your ducts. This occurs because the ducts themselves allow heat transfer between the conditioned air and the air in unconditioned spaces.
The result is that the air coming from your vents isn’t arriving as hot or cool as it should. This makes your system run longer heating and cooling cycles, increasing the wear on your system and your utility expenses.
Use Curtains to Your Benefit
Curtains are incredibly important during both the winter and summer to boost your HVAC efficiency. During both seasons, heavy curtains help keep heat where it should be, either in or out of your home. However, it’s essential to use them strategically, opening the curtains when it makes sense to allow or prevent solar heating.
Ensure Your Air is Circulating
Aside from keeping your furnace filter clean, you also need to ensure that air is moving around your home effectively. Circulation happens when your system runs, creating low pressure at the return vent and high pressure at the output vents.
To keep air circulating well, you’ll need to keep your vents open and give them the proper clearance. Generally, two inches above and around your vents is enough to promote proper air circulation.
Have Your System Maintained
Every HVAC system eventually loses some of its efficiency over time, partly due to built-up contaminants. Efficiency also suffers when various system components stop working optimally, extending heating and cooling cycles.
Professional maintenance solves both of these issues to ensure your system is always operating at its peak efficiency. A technician will clean the internal parts of your HVAC system, preventing airflow restrictions.
They will also test the various system components to ensure everything is working optimally. If any issues arise, you can resolve them before they detract from your system’s efficiency.
Get the most you can from your HVAC system by giving it the attention it deserves. Call to schedule your HVAC maintenance appointment with one of the NATE-certified service technicians at Pruett Air Conditioning today.
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