Between your mortgage, car payments, and weekly living expenses, you’ve learned to maintain a solid grasp on your family’s home budget. While many homeowners love to save where they can, most rarely evaluate the impact their HVAC systems have on their finances. After all, as such a necessity, it’s easy to write off your energy bill as a fixed expense. Here’s a look at how HVAC impacts your budget and ways you could be saving on HVAC costs.
Thermostat Settings
Let’s face it – your HVAC system is working for most of the year. Whether you’re using the air conditioning to stay cool on hot and humid summer days or warming your home during the colder months, you may be setting your thermostat anywhere from the low to mid-60s to upwards of 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
The thermostat is the easiest place to start when analyzing your HVAC’s impact on your budget. For instance, regularly keeping your home in the 60s during the summer can result in high energy bills. The same can be said for the winter months, regardless of whether your heat is electric or gas. A good rule of thumb is to maintain a temperature of around 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and the low-70s in the summer to help save on your HVAC costs.
Finding Alternatives
No matter the season or temperature outside, there are many ways you can keep your HVAC usage to a minimum. Instead of turning up the temperature in the winter, use blankets and wear layers and warmer clothing. Invest in a few fans as an alternative to cranking the AC to keep cool during the warmer days of spring and summer. Other alternatives you can take advantage of include:
- Ceiling fans to help circulate comfortable air throughout your home
- Space heaters in the bedrooms or other areas as needed
- Opening the windows when sleeping, as overnight temperatures are typically 20-30 degrees cooler
- Blinds, curtains and blackout shades to prevent the sun from making any room too warm
- Humidifiers/dehumidifiers to keep moisture in check
Proper Maintenance
Perhaps the best way to maintain lower HVAC costs is by having your system routinely serviced. Without proper maintenance, you could be impacting your wallet more than you think. A system that runs properly will use the minimal amount of energy, and routine maintenance can also catch any mechanical issues that could be forcing your system to work overtime – thus heightening your energy costs. No matter what type of system you have, Custom Aire’s team of experts can help you determine a maintenance schedule.
Local HVAC Maintenance and Replacement Experts
By incorporating these tips, saving on HVAC costs will be easier than ever before. But if you’re taking all of these measures and still experiencing high energy bills, it may be time to replace your HVAC system. With over 50 years of experience serving the Bensalem, Pennsylvania area and surrounding cities, Custom Aire will help you navigate your options to help you pick the best HVAC system for your home, and they’ll even handle the installation. To learn more, contact Custom Aire today.