One of the most important aspects of your home’s energy efficiency concerns the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Tackling this can save you and the environment.

Energy Tips

Before investing in a new HVAC system, here are a few tips to improve its energy efficiency:

• Invest in a programmable thermostat. Instead of leaving heat or air conditioning on full-blast all day, set it to the desirable temperature just before you arrive home or wake up in the morning. And monitor your gas and electric meters to regulate how much energy you are using.
• When ventilating your home, do not let the air that has been warmed or cooled out by controlling the air that is allowed to escape or enter your home.
• Use natural air over tempered air. Open windows at night and let in the cooler air. This will help ventilate your home and cool it off naturally the next day.
• Control the air ducts and check for leaks. If there are certain rooms you don’t use, close the ducts in those rooms so you aren’t unnecessarily heating or cooling them.
• Proper ventilation is important, but it doesn’t need to run around the clock. Set the exhaust system so it is on a timer and runs periodically rather than constantly.
• Most importantly, keep you HVAC system tuned-up. A properly running system is one of the most effective means of saving energy and reducing utility bills. Dirty systems prevent proper functioning, therefore making the systems work harder to achieve desired results.