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As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your
home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills — and
your comfort. Take these steps to increase the efficiency of your heating and cooling system and look through the
ENERGY STAR Guide to Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling.
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Change Your Air Filter Regularly
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Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after
a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make
the system work harder to keep you warm or cool — wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from
building up in the system — leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.
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Tune Up Your HVAC Equipment Yearly
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Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling
system can improve efficiency and comfort.
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Install A Programmable Thermostat
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Programmable thermostats automatically adjust your home's temperature settings, allowing you to save energy
while you're away or sleeping. Programmable thermostats are more convenient and accurate than manual thermostats
and improve your home’s comfort, save energy and reduce your utility bills. Through proper use of pre-programmed
settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $150 every year in energy costs.
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Install ENERGY STAR Qualified Heating & Cooling Equipment
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If your HVAC equipment is more than 10 years old or not keeping your house comfortable,
you should have it looked at by a professional HVAC contractor. If it is not performing
efficiently or needs upgrading, consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the
ENERGY STAR. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency heating and cooling units can save
up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs. But before you invest in a new HVAC system,
make sure that you have addressed the big air leaks in your house and the duct system.
Sometimes, these are the real sources of problems rather than your HVAC equipment.
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Remember that getting the proper size and a quality installation is essential to getting the
most from your new equipment. When replacing HVAC equipment, bigger doesn't always mean better.
If the unit is too large for your home, you will be less comfortable and might actually have
higher utility bills. Oversized equipment will operate in short run cycles, not allowing the
unit to reach efficient operation and remove humidity from the air — resulting in an uncomfortable
home. Your contractor should determine the right size for your HVAC equipment by using ACCA/ANSI
Manual J or an equivalent sizing calculation tool that takes into account specific information about your home.
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Heat Pumps
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Air-Source Heat Pumps
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Air Source Heat pumps use the difference between outdoor and indoor air temperatures to heat or cool your home. The heat pump
simply extracts the heat that's present in outdoor air in winter and delivers it inside to heat your home. In summer when you
need cooling, the process reverses and pulls the heat out of indoor air and releases it outside to keep your home cool.
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Geothermal Heat Pumps
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Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHPs) are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but use the ground instead of outside air to provide heating,
air conditioning and, in some cases, hot water. Because geothermal heat pumps use the earth's natural heat, they are among the
most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies currently available. In fact, ENERGY STAR qualified geothermal
heat pumps use about 30% less energy than a standard heat pump.
For more information on GHPs and how they work, visit
the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium.
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Sizing and Installation
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Your new heating and cooling system should be a custom fit for your home. Sizing and a handful of other installation practices
can dramatically affect how well your new equipment will deliver comfort and savings. Expect to pay a little more for a good
contractor who follows these practices.
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Calculate The Size Of Equipment
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For starters your new furnace, boiler, heat pump or air conditioner should be sized to fit your home. You can request a copy of
the design load calculation used to determine the right size of equipment for your home. A good contractor will not size your
equipment solely on the square footage of your house or assume that your existing equipment was sized properly in the first place.
Proper equipment sizing is based your home's heat loss during cold weather and heat gains during warm weather.
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Seal & Insulate Ducts In Attics And Crawlspaces
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If you’re installing a central air conditioner, furnace or heat pump ask your contractor about the condition of your air ducts.
A good contractor should be able to test your air ducts to identify and seal leaks. Duct sealing should be done by a professional
using mastic, metal-backed tape or aerosol-based sealing.
In some instances, your contractor may advise you that it is necessary to replace or add ducts. If there are insufficient supply
registers or return air grilles in your home, it may be necessary to install additional ducts to accommodate the need for registers
or grilles. When possible ducts should be located within conditioned space. If the ducts must be in unconditioned space (attic or
crawlspace) they should be insulated.
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Check & Correct Airflow
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For central air conditioners, furnaces or heat pumps there is an optimal air flow for comfort and savings. If airflow is too high,
duct leakage increases and the temperature at the register is not sufficient for optimal home comfort. If airflow is too low,
distribution efficiency drops and accelerates the wear on system components leading to premature failure.
A good contractor will test the air flow of your heating and cooling system and make adjustments for optimal performance. Typically,
testing and adjustments should be done after duct leakage repairs have been completed.
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Proper Refrigerant Charging
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If your are installing a new central air conditioner or heat pump you should know that recent field studies suggest that approximately
75% of installed cooling equipment may have incorrect amount of refrigerant. Incorrect refrigerant level can lower efficiency by 5 to 20%
and can ultimately cause premature component failure, resulting in costly repairs that could have been prevented. A good contractor will
use one of three methods, recommended by equipment manufacturers, to verify the correct refrigerant level. These methods include super-heat,
sub-cooling, or weigh. Ask your contractor how they verify the refrigerant level is correct.
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Equipment Placement
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Placement of new equipment is unique for every home, but a good contractor should follow manufacturer's installation instructions
for best results. For example, Indoor equipment should be installed in conditioned space, or a space that is well insulated. The
Outdoor compressors should be placed out of the sun and kept free of debris. Equipment should be installed in an accessible area
for easy maintenance. Allow plenty of room for free airflow on all sides of the equipment. Thermostats should be placed away from
direct sunlight, drafts, doorways, skylights and windows.
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