The HVAC System
In warmer climates up to fifty percent of a typical home’s energy costs come from heating and cooling costs. By taking steps to create an energy efficient Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system in your home, you can greatly reduce your energy expenses.
Programmable Thermostat
A first line of defense against high heating and cooling costs is to prevent your system from running when no one is in the home. Programmable thermostats, when properly used, can have a great impact on the heating and cooling portions of your energy costs. The thermostats are preset with week and weekend day and night values to ensure that the heat or air conditioning does not run full-blast during times when there is typically no one home. If there is an unusual day where someone is home when the thermostat is typically set to keep the air or heat off, choose the hold or override button and use the thermostat to set the temperature for the day.
When used properly for both heating and cooling, with a set back during the night as well as the day, you can easily save $150 per year after factoring in the cost of purchasing and installing a digital programmable thermostat.
Assuming your thermostat is used properly for fifteen years; the electricity savings is comparable to a 16,000 pound reduction of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, or the equivalent of planting two acres of trees or removing two cars from the road for a year.
Replacing Your Inefficient Heating and Cooling System
If your Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is older than ten years, or if it is not running efficiently, it may be time to consider installing a newer, higher efficiency unit. It is also important with older systems to inspect the duct work for leakage. No system, no matter how efficient it is, can cool your house comfortably if hot attic air is being pulled into the ducts and delivered to the rooms along with the cooled air. Current Energy's HVAC inspection can provide answers to your heating and cooling concerns.
Air conditioning systems are measured in terms of their SEER rating; Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating is a measure of cooling efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps. The higher the SEER, the more energy efficient the unit.
The Texas state building minimum standard is currently a 13 SEER system. The most efficient systems available today are 19 SEER, and can provide a significant savings over both the older 8 SEER models and the newer 13 SEER models.
Most systems are also available with air cleaners for filtering that removes more dust, pollen and other irritants throughout your entire home for a cleaner, healthier, more comfortable home. The most efficient air cleaning systems can remove up to 99.98% of the particles from your home's filtered air. This is an especially important system upgrade to consider if young children or people with respiratory problems will be living in the home.
Sizing Your System
Most homes today are heated and cooled by units that are too big for the home. Some are too small. And when an air conditioner or heat pump system is not the proper size (capacity) for a home, an array of problems can result. Temperatures might be uneven. Units might not run long enough to properly control humidity. Units that are not running at peak performance often encounter more maintenance problems over time. And the money you thought you were saving may be reduced because you're essentially paying to heat or cool space that isn't there.
Tip: If you are planning a major remodel or building a new home, consider building the duct work into the conditioned space of the home instead of in the attic. Most homes today put the duct work and air handler into the attic, which can easily be over 100 degrees during the summer months. This forces your air handler to have to work harder, and your air conditioning to blow cold air through warm ducts to try to deliver cold air to your home. By putting the duct work below the attic floor, you create a more efficient system.
Why Use a Whole House Air Filter?
Asthma is the most common serious chronic disease of childhood, and the third-ranking cause of hospitalization among children under 15. An estimated 14 million school days are missed each year due to asthma. Source: Healthy Youth! Health Topics: Asthma. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Center for Disease Control.
Alternatives to Central Heat and Air Systems
Ground-coupled geothermal systems are another way of heating and cooling your home. They take advantage of the consistent temperature of the ground to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. Often referred to as geothermal heat pumps, they actually heat and cool your home. Geothermal systems work by running closed piping at a depth to take advantage of the Earth’s natural temperature. They are typically arranged vertically, but can be configured in spiral or horizontal patterns if the site allows for it.
Although these systems have a higher initial cost, they can pay for themselves over time by using much less energy, and running up to 65% more efficiently than conventional systems.
If you are building a new home, Passive Solar Heat is also a technique to consider. This refers to positioning windows so that in the winter, the radiant heat from the sun is allowed to enter the house and hit a thermal mass such as a brick wall or concrete floor. The thermal mass heats up during the day, then releases that heat back into the building through the night, keeping the area warm. Passive solar heating options must be considered at the on-set of a planning a new home, but can be an effective way of maintaining warmth in the winter. For more information please refer to Source: The Passive Solar House, Revised and Expanded Edition The Complete Guide to Heating and Cooling Your Home By James Kachadorian Revised and Expanded Edition—Includes CD-ROM with Custom Design Software.
