As much as we all love using our central heaters and air conditioners, we know that we don’t use those modern conveniences for free. Higher electric bills during summer and higher gas bills during winter make that abundantly clear. The good news is that you can reduce those bills by ensuring that you’re using your HVAC system properly year-round.
Ready to lower your heating and cooling costs? Make sure you’re avoiding these common mistakes with your HVAC system!
1. Closing Air Vents
Some articles recommend closing the registers over air vents in unoccupied rooms. In theory, this is supposed to help your HVAC system run more efficiently by redirecting the airflow in your home and keeping conditioned air from being “wasted” in a room where it isn’t needed.
Unfortunately, this theory is incorrect. Even if you close the vent to a room, your system’s blower is still trying to direct air toward that room. That air has a slim chance of making it efficiently to other rooms and often gets forced through ductwork leaks along the way. In addition, closing a room’s vent creates a pressure imbalance that causes air to enter the room through other access points, such as door or windows.
2. Turning Your HVAC System Off Completely
While it may seem cost-effective to turn off your heater or air conditioner while you’re away at work or out having fun on the weekend, the opposite can be true. When it’s really cold or really hot outside, you should let your HVAC system run occasionally while no one is at home. This allows your system to run intermittently to maintain a comfortable temperature, which is more energy-efficient than making your system run for a long time all at once to drastically change the temperature.
Learn more about how running your AC makes your home less humid.
3. Setting the Thermostat to an Extreme Temperature
When arriving home from freezing temperatures, you might be tempted to turn your thermostat up several degrees so that your heater will warm your home faster. While it might seem like sound logic, your HVAC system works at the same speed regardless of the thermostat setting.
Simply set your thermostat to the temperature you want from the beginning. By doing this, you won't forget that you set your thermostat extra-high or extra-low and leave your HVAC system running longer than necessary.
4. Forgetting About the Air Filter
Your HVAC system’s air filter prevents things like dust, dirt, dander, and hair from entering the system’s components. When the filter becomes overly dirty and clogged with these particles, it does not allow an adequate amount of airflow to enter the system. Without adequate airflow, your system will operate less efficiently and may even overheat or break down.
Some types of filters need to be routinely replaced, while others require cleaning. Make sure you know what type of filter your system uses, and check on it regularly to make sure that it’s not clogged with dust.
5. Skipping Seasonal Maintenance
Aging HVAC systems lose efficiency and can develop a number of issues. Routine maintenance helps combat these problems so that you can delay an expensive system replacement and maximize your current system’s value.
Experts recommend getting your air conditioner serviced in spring and your furnace serviced in fall. This allows the technician to prep your system for heavy summer and winter usage. Additionally, the technician can spot any potential problems with your system before extreme temperatures arrive.
Has your HVAC system had seasonal maintenance yet (or ever)?
If not, our friendly team at Air Care & Canyon Lake Air Conditioning is ready to assist you. Call (210) 880-3002 or schedule an appointment with our team online for quality Canyon Lake HVAC services.