Here are some HVAC components that could be diminishing your home’s energy efficiency!
A lot of homeowners feel as though they’re battling between home comfort and HVAC costs, but there are actually many different factors that come into play when it comes to how much energy your property uses and how comfortable you feel on a daily basis.
At Beehive Heating & Air, we help all of our customers to better understand their energy usage, and we’re here to provide you with strategies to recognize and alleviate your home’s worst energy hogs.
Although your furnace fan is likely one of your most energy-consuming HVAC components, you’ll likely need to consider other factors like your air conditioning system during the summer months. There truly is a lot that northern Utah homeowners need to consider when it comes to HVAC energy hogs, and below we’ll be going over some of the energy hogs that you should be aware of!
Your Home’s Furnace Is One Of Your Biggest Energy Hogs
The average household in northern Utah uses about 12,000 kilowatt-hours of energy every year, and furnace fans will consume nearly 10% of your home’s entire energy consumption. This is over twice the amount of energy that your refrigerator will need on a yearly basis!
So, there’s absolutely no denying how your furnace is by far one of your homes’ biggest energy hogs. This is especially the case when your furnace is aging and less efficient than some of the top-quality furnaces within today’s marketplace. Some of the very first furnace fan efficiency standards were just set in 2019, so although this type of energy consumption will inevitably decrease in the years ahead, it’ll still remain the major culprit for household inefficiency throughout the foreseeable future.
Should My Home’s Fan Be Set On Auto or On?
If you look closely at your thermostat, you’ll see how there are controls that help you monitor how much your furnace or air conditioner runs.
When you set your home’s fan on Auto, it essentially means that your furnace will only turn itself on when your HVAC system is required to heat or cool your property. When your fan is set in the On position, it’ll continuously run until you change the setting.
There are pros and cons of both settings, so it’s important to remember that every HVAC system is different and requires specific settings at specific times. There may be instances in which keeping your fan on will provide more even distribution throughout your home, whereas keeping your fan in auto will allow you to minimize your energy consumption.
It all depends upon your specific system, and our technicians will help you better understand when you should be placing your fan into certain settings.
Tips To Help You Reduce Your Home’s Energy Usage
When it comes to your home’s HVAC system, you’ll be able to reduce your monthly energy usage by reducing your furnace and air conditioner usage accordingly. This may seem simple, but it’s generally a lot easier said than done.
Some of our tips to keep your HVAC system working smarter during the summer and winter months include:
- Using ceiling fans
- Opening curtains during sunny winter days
- Closing curtains during sunny summer days
- Make sure your vents are fully open, and not blocked by furniture
Although these simple energy tips can help you, they’re not likely to make a huge dent on your monthly energy bills. That’s why it’s also incredibly important to consider several other ways that you can conserve even more energy through efficient heating, cooling, and seasonal maintenance!
Saving Energy Through Seasonal HVAC Maintenance
In order for your home to obtain peak energy efficiency, you’re going to need to take proper care of your HVAC system through regular maintenance appointments. Maintenance checkups also go a really long way when it comes to preventing system breakdowns and repairs, which can help you save a lot of money over the course of several years.
You should also make sure that you’re regularly changing out your furnace filters, and increasing the frequency of your filter switching is also a good idea when you’re actively trying to improve your property’s efficiency. If you ever notice that your filters are dark and dirty, it’s a red flag that you’re not switching them as frequently as you should.
Regular HVAC maintenance is absolutely critical for keeping your system’s vital components clean and functional. Professional maintenance can help you catch lingering issues long before they pose serious dilemmas, which is another way that you can keep your system’s efficiency at peak levels.
Reach Out To Our HVAC Experts When You’re Worried About Your Home’s Energy Usage!
The environmental impact of HVAC systems is something that the Beehive Team knows all about, and we’re here to help households throughout northern Utah when it comes to making upgrades and adjustments that help reduce carbon footprints.
If you have more questions about your home’s energy usage and want to start doing more to decrease your overall consumption, reach out to us online or call us at 801-849-3860 to get in touch with our HVAC experts today!