Efficient Heating and Air for the Consumer Home

By following a few tips and tricks when it comes to home heating and air efficiency, homeowners and renters alike can decrease the costs of the energy bills and lower their carbon footprint at the same time. Because nearly half of the energy used in American homes is spent toward this end, making efficient use of home energy systems is extremely relevant today. The following is just a few of those tips and tricks that homeowners, renters, and those who lease can take into consideration when it comes to heating and cooling their homes and workplaces.

In order to dramatically affect the cost of energy use to your advantage, it is important for owners and renters to consistently change their air filters. By regularly changing air filters in the home, especially during hot summer months and cold winter months, homeowners will witness a dramatic decrease in energy costs. If users fail to change the air filters, they will remain very dirty, making it harder for systems within the home to keep the environment warm and cool, forcing them to work harder. The harder the push, the higher the energy that will be needed - and this will increase costs for everyone.

Homeowners should also tune their HVAC systems regularly. Heating and air systems are similar to vehicles; users must consistently maintain their efficiency and keep them tuned up. HVAC systems are most easily maintained when their thermostat settings are calibrated, electrical connections are tightened, lubricating moveable parts, and checking the controls of the system to ensure the system shuts on and off correctly. By ensuring HVAC systems are running at their top performance, the heating and cooling standards within the home.

Sealing hearing and air ducts are also a great way to make these systems more efficient. By sealing the ducts that control the flow of air through the attic, crawlspaces, basements, and other areas of the home, especially the garage, efficient flow can be maintained. This will ensure that every penny spent on heating and air systems in the home are used for that purpose - nothing will be wasted. By taking these measures, homeowners and renters alike can be assured that they are spending wisely. This is particularly important when homeowners are living and working in a down economy and extraneous income levels remain at all-time lows.

Consumers should also consider buying products and appliances that are certified to be energy efficient. While various standards can be issued nationally and by state, purchasing energy efficient products can also help new homeowners and renters save hundreds on their energy bills. Hundreds of these appliances are now sold in major retail stores around the country. By taking these tips into consideration, people can decrease carbon emissions while simultaneously decreasing their energy costs.