Why Cold Air Vents Are Important to a Heating System

November 8th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Cold air vents, also called return vents, are an integral part of many heating systems, especially various types of furnaces. The idea is to pull or suction cold air from various rooms in a building or home and bring it to the furnace to be heated. This warmed air is then redistributed through the building through the furnace vents. This system operates very efficiently by both removing the cold air and adding the warmer air. 

Location Of Air Vents

Most cold air vents will be located on or near the floor. Since warmer air rises, the coolest air in most rooms will be at the floor level. If vents are put too high, it can leave pockets of cold air down low, making it difficult to heat the room thoroughly. The hot air vents can be located at any level, although many will be on the floor as well. The hot and cold vents may even look identical, but you can tell the difference when a furnace turns on. Some vents will blow air (hot), while others suck air in (cold).  

Number Of Vents

The amount of vents in a building or home depends on the design of the system. Many homes will have both cold and hot air vents in all rooms. However, depending on the building, sometimes there are only limited numbers of cold air vents that are situated throughout, maybe only one or two per floor. 

Using cold air vents make heating systems more efficient. Removing the cold air and adding warmed air means the furnace needs less fuel for heating, saving both energy and money for the building or home owner.  If your home suffers from warm spots or cold spots, talk to your your HVAC contractor.  They can conduct a system efficiency analysis and recomment improvements to your HVAC system such as sealing leaky ductwork or installing a modern, efficient duct system. 

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Are Some Rooms Warmer Than Others in Your Home?

November 6th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Are family members always battling over the thermostat in your home? Is someone too hot and someone too cold? Is one person throwing off their blankets while another person is asking for extras? 

These differences can often be just different comfort levels between different individuals, but if you find that certain rooms or areas of your home really do feel cooler or hotter than others, then you may be dealing with improper distribution of heating and cooling air through your HVAC system. 

An HVAC system that has been properly designed and is operating properly should provide evenly distributed heat and cooling and maintain comfort levels throughout the home. If this is not the case, you may want to schedule a complete system efficiency analysis of your HVAC system, including the distribution system. 

For a forced air system this will include ductwork and vents, in addition to the furnace itself. For a boiler system, it will include the entire hot water distribution system. Thermostats will need to be tested to be sure they are operating properly. 

Following the inspection, the HVAC contractor should be able to give you a full report with maintenance and repair issues that have been uncovered, as well as their recommendations for addressing those issues and how they might be affecting the temperature levels in your home. In some cases, it may be determined that heating and distribution system were not properly sized or designed to meet the needs of the home. Again, a reputable HVAC contractor will be able to explain exactly what the flaws are in the system and make recommendations for correction. 

Don’t keep fighting over the thermostat and putting sweaters on and then taking them off again. Schedule a full HVAC system inspection.  Your home will be more comfortable and you will save money on heating and cooling costs.

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Cost Effective Ways To Reduce Your Heating and Cooling Costs

October 12th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Replacing your old heating and cooling system with a modern energy efficient furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump is a great way to reduce your heating  and cooling costs, but if you are not yet ready to spend that much on a new system, there are many lower cost improvements that can help you reduce your energy usage while you save up for that new furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner.  Most of these improvements will carry over to the new system when you have it installed in a few years.

Installing a programmable thermostat that lowers the temperature setting in the winter and raises it in the summer when your family is not at home or is asleep can provide big savings. Having your ducts sealed can also lower your energy bills.  The EPA estimates that about 20% of the heated or cooled air flowing through ducts is lost due to leakage.

Ceiling fans are also a great way to reduce your energy costs.  In the summer, the fan is set to blow air downward.  The light breeze makes temperatures seem cooler so you can keep the temperature a few degrees warmer.  In the winter, the fan direction is reversed to move warm air from the ceiling down to the living space an keeping the room warmer.

Weather stripping and stopping air leaks from around doors, windows, vents, wires, air conditioner drain pipes, and other openings can reduce loss of conditioned air and eliminate drafts.

Finally, having your system serviced regularly and changing your air filters every month or two will help you system operate at its peak efficiency and reduce breakdowns.

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Save Energy With an HVAC System Efficiency Analysis

August 8th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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If you are looking for ways to save money on your heating and cooling costs, a professional HVAC system efficiency analysis is an excellent first step.  Central air conditioning and heating systems are notorious energy wasters, especially in homes build more than ten to fifteen years ago.  When energy prices were lower, there was not as much of a concern about wasting energy.  Most homeowners were happy to install heating and cooling equipment that was less efficient, but also much less expensive.

The same mindset applied to the construction of the home and installation of the duct system.  Homeowners were less inclined to spend money on additional insulation, insulated windows, and eliminating air leaks around doors, windows, plumbing, and other areas where heated or cooled air could escape from the home.

With energy costs rising and record setting heat scorching the country, replacing an older less efficient furnace, heat pump, or central air conditioning system with a new energy efficient system can make good economic sense, but before you spend the money on a new system, it pays to have a system efficiency analysis done by a qualified HVAC technician.

You may find more cost effective ways to lower your energy bill, or to maximize the benefit obtained from the new equipment.  The analysis will identify where you are wasting energy and make recommendations for improvement.  Leaky ducts, poor weather stripping, and inadequate insulation are just a few of the relatively inexpensive improvements that can save you a lot of energy and money.

In addition, if you are going to purchase a new heating and air conditioning system, correcting the deficiencies found during the system efficiency analysis might allow you to install a smaller, more efficient heating and air conditioning system.

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Duct Sealing Benefits

April 23rd, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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If your home is heated and cooled with a traditional forced air HVAC system such as a heat pump or a central air conditioning system coupled with a furnace, you may be able to benefit from having your ducts sealed.  The ductwork in your home distributes the heated and cooled air throughout you home and also allows return air to flow back to the air handler.

Over time, duct systems develop leaks that allow up to 20% of the conditioned or heated air to escape.  Sealing a leaky duct system can the system operate far more efficiently and reduce your energy bills, especially if your duct system runs through your attic, crawlspace, or other unheated and uncooled area.  The air loss in these areas can be very significant.

Signs that you may need to have your duct system checked for leakage include uneven heating and cooling throughout your home.  For example, if you have rooms that are constantly too hot or too cold, you may have some duct leakage that is not allowing these rooms to receive the heated or cooled air.

Another sign is a steadily increasing energy bill in the summer and winter.  Duct leakage will cause your bills to rise, but so slowly that you may not notice it from month to month.

Duct leakage may also cause your furnace, heat pump, or central air conditioner to run longer to keep your home comfortable.  You may notice that your system is running almost constantly to maintain your comfort setting.

If you are experiencing any of these problems, talk to a good local HVAC contractor about an energy efficiency package that includes sealing your ducts.  Start saving money on your heating and cooling bills today!

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Saving Energy With Your Programmable Thermostat

March 30th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Programmable thermostats are a terrific energy saving tool, but you can maximize your savings by using the device properly.  Programmable thermostats save energy by automatically changing the temperature setting inside your home to an energy efficient setting at pre-programmed times throughout the day.  When these times are programmed to coincide with the period you are at work or asleep, you will reduce your energy usage and can save about $180 per year without sacrificing comfort.

The EPA’s $180 per year savings figure is based on programming your thermostat to 8 degrees lower in the winter for 10 hours during the day and 8 hours at night and increasing the temperature in the summer 7 degrees for 10 hours during the day and by 4 degrees for 8 hours at night.

To achieve greater savings try setting the energy saving temperatures even lower in the winter and higher in the summer.  The greater the difference from your comfort setting the more you will save on energy costs.  You can also try reducing your winter comfort setting and increasing you summer comfort setting a degree or two.  Keep making adjustments until you find the energy saving and comfort settings that you are comfortable with and then leave the thermostat alone.

Avoid the temptation to override the programmed energy saving or comfort settings.  This habit will reduce your energy savings.  You are better off finding a good temperature program you are comfortable with than frequently overriding the energy saving or comfort temperature settings.  Programmable thermostats work best if you set the program and then forget about it and let it do its thing.

For additional ways to save energy on your heating and cooling, talk to your HVAC contractor about an HVAC system efficiency analysis.  They will analyze your HVAC system and recommend an energy efficiency package that will help your reduce your heating and cooling energy usage and cut your energy bills.

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Avoid Closing Vents to Save on Air Conditioning

March 12th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Many homeowners faced with onerous summertime energy bills attempt to save energy and money by closing off parts of their home or shutting some of their central air conditioning vents.  It makes sense that closing the vents in unused areas of the home would direct more cool air to other areas of the home and would result in lower energy usage and reduced electric bills.  However, studies have shown that closing more than just one or two vents did not result in a cost savings and can even cause damage to the system.

Most HVAC systems installed in the past twenty to thirty years were carefully designed to meet the needs of the home.  Efficient operation of these systems depends on the right amount of air flowing through the system.  If a homeowner closes some of the supply air vents, the air flow within the system is restricted and duct pressure rises.

As the pressure inside the ducts increases, so does the amount of conditioned air that leaks from the ducts.  Studies have shown that this increased duct leakage offsets any benefit gained from closing some of the home’s air supply vents, especially if the ducts are run through non-conditioned space such as an attic or crawlspace.

In addition, the reduced airflow through the system can cause ice accumulation on the coils.  This ice further blocks the airflow and reduces the cooling airflow.

Your heating and air conditioning system was designed to operate most efficiently with all of the air supply ducts open.  To save money on air conditioning costs, talk to your HVAC technician about duct sealing to reduce duct losses and having an HVAC system efficiency analysis performed to find ways to improve efficiency of your heating and air conditioning  system.

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Use Energy Efficiency to Sell Your Home

February 17th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs, Uncategorized
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Selling a home in today’s housing market can be a challenge, to say the least.  With so many homes on the market at rock bottom prices, it can take a long time to get an offer on your home and it will probably be thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars less than your asking price even if your home is competitively priced.  The problem is that houses have almost become a commodity. If your home is just like half a dozen other homes for sale in your area, buyers have no incentive to make you a better offer.  The buyer can just keep making low ball offers on homes like yours until some desperate homeowner takes it.

What you need to do is to make your home stand out from the others so that the buyer wants your home, not a home like yours.  One way to make your home stand out is by improving the energy efficiency of your home and the most fertile ground for energy efficiency improvements is your home’s heating and cooling system.

Studies have shown that homes with third party energy efficiency certifications sell significantly faster and for more money than conventional homes.  Even if your home doesn’t have a third party energy efficiency certification, buyers are clearly interested in energy efficiency.  Use that to your advantage by having an system efficiency analysis done by a good HVAC contractor and have them install the recommended package of energy efficiency improvements. 

If your heating and cooling system is more than 10 years old, consider installing a new energy efficient HVAC system.  You probably won’t recover the full cost of the system when you sell, but it will make your home more attractive to potential buyers and reduce the amount of time your home sits on the market.  Be sure that your real estate agent highlights your home’s energy efficiency and provides potential buyers with information about the improvements to your heating and cooling system.

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Are Fireplaces and Woodstoves Good Home Heating Alternatives

February 17th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Almost every homeowner would like to reduce their home heating costs.  One option that often sounds appealing is heating or supplemental heating with wood.  This sounds like a great idea, but the reality is that it’s really only an effective alternative in a few limited circumstances.

First, heating with an open fireplace is very inefficient. Most of the heat generated in a fireplace is lost up the chimney.  In addition, in order to burn properly and to exhaust smoke, carbon monoxide and other combustion gasses up and out the chimney, a fireplace has to draw air in from the room.  That air is replaced by cold outside air that makes your way into your home.  A fireplace can actually make the rest of the rooms in your house colder. 

A modern woodstove is much more energy efficient than a fireplace and in some cases can supplement your home heating system, but there are a few caveats.  First, energy efficient woodstoves are expensive and for safe operation, they need to be installed by a professional adding further to the cost. 

Next, take into consideration the cost of the wood or pellets you will be burning.  If you plan to cut, split, and stack the wood yourself, consider the amount of time and the cost of the tools such as a chain saw, axe, and wood splitter.  Don’t forget to factor in the cost of a back injury or worse, an accident involving a chainsaw or axe.  It could take a very long time to make up the cost of a wood stove in energy savings.

The reality is that for the vast majority of homeowners, a fireplace or woodstove can add ambiance and charm to your home, but they are not very practical for home heating.  More effective alternatives include having a system efficiency analysis done by a reputable HVAC contractor or replacing an old furnace with a new energy efficient furnace.

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Saving Energy on Heating and Cooling Costs With a New HVAC System

January 18th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Managing your home heating and cooling costs is a great way to put a few more dollars back in your pocket each month while doing your part to cut down on greenhouse gasses and our dependence on foreign oil.  Energy prices have been on the rise for years and there does not seem to be any relief in sight.

One of the best ways to reduce energy consumption and costs is to replace your older heating and air conditioning system with a new, energy efficient furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump.  Today’s heating and cooling systems are far more efficient than systems installed only five to ten years ago.

If your existing system is ten years old or more, you will likely see a dramatic decrease in your heating and cooling costs by having a new energy efficient HVAC system installed by a good local HVAC contractor, especially if your existing system is the original “builder’s grade” system installed in most new homes.

Even if your existing system is still working well, you may be surprised to find out how little time it can take to recoup the cost of a new energy efficient system.  In many cases it only takes five to ten years for your savings in energy costs to pay for the cost of the new system. Once you have recovered the cost of installing a new system, you will enjoy year after year of inexpensive heating and cooling.

When you have your new HVAC system installed, be sure to ask your HVAC contractor to do an HVAC system efficiency analysis including an inspection of your duct system to make sure it is properly sealed.  According to EPA estimates, duct leaks account for energy losses of up to 20% to 30%, especially if your ducts are located in the attic, crawlspace or other unheated area.

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