When your energy bill skyrockets suddenly, it’s enough to give you heart palpitations. Since your HVAC system is responsible for about 35% of your energy expenses each year, a faulty HVAC system can have an outsized impact on how much you’re spending each month.
Fortunately, there are a few easy ways you can optimize your HVAC system. Besides upgrading to more energy-efficient options, you can also perform routine maintenance and make a few adjustments.
At Central Air Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we offer a wide range of HVAC maintenance, repairs, installations, and replacements. We can conduct a full energy audit, so you can understand exactly how your Portland home is using energy.
Learn more by reaching out to our HVAC experts today.
1. Schedule Regular Professional Tune-ups
One of the most effective ways to optimize your Portland HVAC system is through professional tune-ups. Regular maintenance ensures your system is cleaned, lubricated, and at its peak performance level. We recommend getting a spring tune-up so that your AC is ready for summertime. Later on, you should schedule a fall tune-up to prepare your heating system for the colder months of the year.
During an HVAC maintenance appointment, one of our team members will inspect your system for signs of a problem. Then, we’ll clean your evaporator and condenser coils. We’ll inspect electrical components and tighten any loose connections. Additionally, we’ll check refrigerant levels and recharge your system as needed.
Through early detection, you can diagnose and repair problems before they spiral out of control. Plus, an HVAC tune-up can also improve your energy efficiency and extend the lifespan of your system.
2. Don’t Forget to Change Your Air Filter
While it often gets forgotten, one of the most effective things you can do to boost your system’s energy efficiency is replace your air filter. When the air filter is clogged, it forces the HVAC system to work harder to pull air into the system. Besides using significantly more energy, dirty filters can also affect the respiratory health of your loved ones. Over time, repeatedly using clogged filters can increase the likelihood of costly HVAC repairs and replacements.
Fortunately, this is a fairly easy problem to solve. At the very minimum, you should change or clean your air filter every one to three months. If you are using your HVAC system more intensely, you should change the filter more frequently. During peak usage, your filter ought to be changed out at least once a month.
3. Install a Smart Thermostat
If you’re struggling to pay high energy bills, a smart thermostat may be the answer. Smart thermostats can be programmed with a set schedule, so you can have different temperature settings for when you’re away from home or asleep. They connect to your phone, so you can change the temperature settings using an app. If you forget and leave your AC on when you’re away from home, you can tap a few buttons and switch it off remotely.
In addition to remote features and programming options, smart thermostats can also learn your schedule. By doing this, they can optimize the amount of energy you use so that you aren’t heating or cooling an empty house.
Besides being one of the easiest energy efficiency tips to carry out, this is also one of the most effective. In studies, changing a home’s indoor temperature by just 7° to 10°F for eight hours a day reduced energy costs by 10% per year.
4. Seal Leaky Ducts and Air Leaks
In an average American household, around 20% to 30% of the conditioned air that travels through the ducts is lost through leaks and gaps. The air escapes into your attic, basement, or crawlspace before it can make it out of the vents in your rooms. This forces your HVAC system to work harder to replace the lost air and can lead to more costly energy bills for your family.
Because of how small some of these duct leaks can be, they’re often too challenging to locate and repair on your own. Instead, you can reach out to Central Air for help finding and repairing pinhole leaks in your ductwork.
5. Optimize Your Home’s Insulation and Weatherstripping
If you want to optimize your HVAC system, you should also take a look at your home’s insulation and weatherstripping. The best HVAC system in the world won’t be energy efficient if your home has poor insulation.
During the summer, insulation helps to prevent heat transfer from the outside. In winter, it is able to do the reverse and stop heat from leaving your home. If your house is poorly insulated, your HVAC system is going to struggle to heat and cool your home.
To remedy this issue, start by checking for drafts around your windows and walls. These areas need to be properly caulked and sealed. Additionally, you should consider upgrading your attic and wall insulation. In general, you will want at least R-38 to R-60 insulation for your attic and R-13 to R-21 for your walls.
6. Use Blinds and Curtains Strategically
Finally, take a look at your windows. One easy, low-cost solution to maintaining your home’s temperature is through opening and closing your blinds and curtains.
During sunny days, you can close your blinds and curtains to prevent solar heat gain. For the best results, you should stick to light-colored curtains. Some curtains come with a different backing color so that you can have a beautiful material on one side and solar-blocking abilities on the other. Additionally, you may also want to consider using a heat-control window film to prevent solar heat gain.
When winter arrives, you need to do the opposite. As soon as the sun is out, open your curtains and blinds so that the sun can help warm your home for free.
Optimize Your HVAC System
From updating your home’s insulation to sealing leaky ducts, there are a few important ways you can optimize your HVAC system. Simple HVAC maintenance and a professional tune-up can help you lower your energy bills and enjoy a more comfortable home throughout the year.
Schedule your professional heating and cooling tune-up today by calling us at 971-435-7303.
