Ways to improve HVAC energy efficiency

Being energy-efficient doesn’t have to be costly.

There are numerous inexpensive tips that can help improve the energy efficiency of your HVAC system, saving you significant amounts of money on reduced energy bills. You may begin by using fans to move air around your rooms. Naturally, hot air rises. This means that in the hot summer months, heat accumulates and stagnates in your living space, causing your air conditioning system to consume more energy cooling your indoor space. What you need to do is to get the hot air moving. A ceiling fan or any portable plug-in fan will help circulate this hot air, saving you money on heating or cooling costs. However, there are a few rules to using your fan effectively. When running a fan in an unoccupied room, you are wasting energy. Ceiling fans must rotate counterclockwise in order to create a cooling downdraft. During winter, reverse the direction of your ceiling fan and run it at a low speed to recirculate warm air collecting near the ceiling. Practice good thermostat use. Set your thermostat one notch higher during summer and one notch lower during winter. Experiment with different temperature settings to determine the highest comfortable summer temperature level and the lowest comfortable winter temperature level for your home. Maintain your air filters regularly. Filters should be replaced or cleaned once each month. If you have air issues in your home, like excessive dust, pet dander, or irritating allergens, consider using an upgraded air filter with a higher MERV rating. You may also want to locate and seal leaky ducts. HVAC technicians can carry out pressure tests to verify the severity of this problem.

hepa filter