Your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system accounts for up to a third of your home’s energy use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. With energy costs constantly on the rise, proactively addressing energy drains can shave your utility bills significantly. Use the following tips to make your HVAC system more efficient, reduce your home or office energy use and pocket the savings.

Keep Up With Maintenance

If you’ve been skipping on routine maintenance, you’ve been adding hundreds of dollars to your energy costs. Flickering pilot lights, dusty or poorly lubricated fans, soot buildup and loose fan belts are typical culprits that will cost you in the long run, and not just on your utility bill, but on future repairs too. Homeowners with natural gas units should schedule regular servicing every two years, and homeowners with oil-fired units should be tuned up yearly. If you don’t already have a regular professional maintenance schedule for your HVAC system, schedule an appointment today to ensure your system is operating as efficiently as possible and that all components and parts are in working order.

Beef Up Insulation

If you have an older home, inadequate insulation can lead to losing warm or cool air from your HVAC system, as most have poorly-insulated attic spaces. Even if your home is newer, upgrading your insulation can increase your home comfort levels and lower your utility bills. To find out if your home has adequate insulation, schedule an energy audit or consult with an insulation professional for an inspection and recommendations.

Turn Down the Thermostat

Turning down your thermostat can result in significant energy savings. The U.S. Department of Energy, recommends that you turn your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees. Setting it back for eight hours at a time during cooler months can cut your heating bills by 5 to 15 percent each year. Install a programmable thermostat to reduce energy use when your home or business is unoccupied, and to keep indoor comfort levels maximized in individual areas or rooms when in use.

Curtains, Drapes, Blinds

Effectively utilizing window coverings to regulate indoor temperatures can have a significant effect on your heating or cooling load. During warm summer months, keep window coverings closed during the day to reduce the indoor temperature. When the weather turns cool, you’ll save money by harnessing the sun’s free warmth by keeping blinds, draperies or curtains open on south-facing windows during the day. Close window coverings at night for an added layer of insulation between the glass and your home’s interior.

Eliminate Drafts

Air infiltration can affect your home’s energy use during both warm and cool seasons by robbing your HVAC system of efficiency from heated or cooled air being lost. Air can escape through the smallest of gaps, cracks, and openings around plumbing, wiring, doors, windows and vents. By sealing those air leaks, you can save more than ten percent on your heating and cooling bills. Use caulk or add weatherstripping around windows and doors, and add a door sweep to door bottoms. Fill in gaps around plumbing or electrical work with expanding foam sealant, and add insulation pads to exterior wall sockets and switches.  

For more information about how to save money on your energy bills, call the Columbus, Ohio indoor comfort professionals at Guaranteed Services today. We’re your roofing, insulation and HVAC experts, and our contractors are on call 24 hours a day.