Heating, Cooling and HVAC

Do you realize just how very important it is to keep your home heating and air conditioning unit running smoothly and efficiently. No doubt you realize that by doing this you will cut your utility bills. True - but did you also realize that by keeping them running efficiently you can extend their operational life greatly — thus saving you the tremendously high cost of total replacement of these units?

But before you do anything else, please make sure that you have made your home as energy efficient as possible. There are some simple things that should be on your to-do list: adding or upgrading your home insulation, adding weatherstripping, caulking around your windows. Even buying and installing a digital, programmable thermostat will make a significant contribution to your home’s energy efficiency.

If you want to go in for some more elaborate modifications, you might want to purchase a room humidifier. These units add moisture to the air around you - and when this moisture-laden air is heated, you will feel warmer. A popular addition to any room is a ceiling fan. When it’s cold outside you can make the fan pull the cold air upwards, displacing the warmer air on top, forcing it down so that you will feel warmer.

But of course: make sure that you have your air conditioner, furnace or heat pump inspected before the start of each heating and cooling season. They can perform cleaning and other preventative maintenance, and this will help keep small problems from becoming big, expensive ones.

The government can help you also – when you choose to replace your furnace or air conditioner, you always want to purchase units that have a good ENERGY STAR rating. If an appliance has qualified as an ENERGY STAR appliance, it has met certain standards for operating and energy efficiency. In addition, there are many government and non-profit websites that you can consult for valuable information and recommendations.

What are some of those online resources? Well you can go to www.consumerguide.com . Or you can go to the EPA (The Environmental Protection Agency) at www.epa.gov, or the American Council for Energy Efficient Economy at www.aceee.org. You can find those ENERGY STAR appliances I mentioned in the previous paragraph at www.energystar.gov.

A word of caution: if you are thinking of replacing your furnace, heat pump unit, or air conditioner, DON”T DO IT! Why not? Because installing (as well as servicing) these appliances requires the use of special tools, as well as know-how, that the average layperson is not privy to. If you attempt to install the unit yourself, and don’t do it the right way, everything will have to be taken out and done all over — by a professional. You might also void your manufacturer warranty, so don’t take the chance.

The same thing goes for HVAC repairs. If you lack the specialized tools and know-how, you could actually end up damaging your unit even further, hurt yourself, and void your manufacturer or dealer warranties. If you choose a good HVAC professional for any necessary repairs or installation of a new unit, you can be assured the job will be done the right way, the FIRST time. Doing it any other way is just a waste of time and money.

Source: http://www.energyefficienthomearticles.com