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How Important Is It To Get The Right Size Of Heating And Cooling Equipment?

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Energy consumption for heating and cooling systems accounts for around 5 percent of the electricity produced in U.S—this is almost $15 billion. As a homeowner, therefore, going for energy efficient systems makes a lot of sense. Correctly sizing your heating and cooling system is one way that you can use to cut down your energy costs.

Unlike older homes, modern homes have many other additions including more windows, weather stripping, insulation, and caulking among other features. This implies that even with a smaller system, you can still keep your home comfortable and save money in your monthly utility bills.

Generally, over sized heating and cooling systems are:

  • Expensive to install
  • Operates inefficiently; will break more often; and will cost you more to operate
  • Create uncomfortable and wide temperature swings
  • Will not run long to dehumidify air and may contribute to mold growth
  • Have frequent starts and stops which accelerates their wear and tear and eventual equipment failure
  • Use more fan power and are vulnerable to duct leakage problems due to high duct pressures.

 

Sizing Your Cooling and Heating System Correctly

Most contractors will only check the label listing of your existing system and advice to go for a similar one, or even worse, one’s that’s bigger. Others will also base the size of your HVAC system on what other customers (with similar home size) settled on or purchased. These are not the correct way to size HVAC equipment and are never in your best interest.

The best methods that you should use are the Manual D (Residential Duct Design) and Manual J (Residential Load Calculation) methods. The two methods take into account factors such as size and orientation of your home, insulation levels, air infiltration rates, occupant preference levels, age and number of occupants, window location, roof surface color, local climate, efficiency of major appliances that produce heat, duct air leakage, and window building materials among other factors.

Correct HVAC sizing will impact your home’s comfort level, energy costs, and the lifespan of your equipment. Before you install your HVAC unit, therefore, ensure that you understand the significance of your system correctly.

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Tips For Creating A Summer Energy Savings Plan To Implement In Your Home

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When summer temperatures climb higher we tend to want to set our air conditioner temperatures lower so we will stay cool and comfortable. Unfortunately, if we do that our utility bills rise with our energy consumption. There are very effective ways to use your air conditioning system to stay cool while being fiscally and environmentally responsible as well. Now is the time to learn about all the many tips and ideas that are available to help homeowners build a successful and manageable Summer Energy Savings Plan that works for their particular home and lifestyle.

For homeowners with a house whose appliances and HVAC system are approaching replacement age, there are tips for saving energy that will not cost anything but can save some money on power bills. If replacement of any appliance is possible, though, it is important to remember to look for the ENERGY STAR® tag, label or license on new appliances. These units have an energy efficiency far superior to other appliances. Simple ways to conserve energy include only running the dishwasher, dryer and washing machine with full loads; washing clothes in cold water; line drying clothes instead; running the dishwasher’s wash cycle but turning it off before the dry cycle and letting the dishes air dry; and keeping the oven door closed when cooking so a great deal of the accumulated heat does not get wasted.

Simple household changes can make a big difference. Use compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent ones. Open all the interior doors so air flow is not inhibited but at the same time close air vents in rooms you do not use. Keep the return air vent unblocked. Use ceiling fans when it is not hot enough for your A/C unit. One the hottest days, use the fans with your A/C to supplement it. Keep blinds and drapes closed on windows that allow direct sunlight inside. Keep doors and windows closed when air conditioning is running.

Older homes can benefit from some newer accessories. Install low-flow aerating shower heads and faucets. Insulate the water pipes coming from your water heater. Add additional R-30 rated insulation in your attic. Repair leaky faucets, because one drip per second adds up to around 2,300 gallons each year. Install a programmable thermostat on your HVAC system. Replace the five light fixtures you turn on the most with new ENERGY STAR® fixtures. Hook all electronics (television, computers, stereo) to power strips and turn power strips off when the electronics are not in use.

Implementing these changes will bring great benefits in lower utility bills and reduced energy consumption. Another tremendous way to save money is to learn all the ways installing a new and energy efficient HVAC system will promote HVAC Energy Savings Home Energy Savings this summer.