Though heating and cooling systems are absolutely necessary in the vast majority of places throughout this country, they can certainly be less than cheap, costing a great deal of money on a month to month basis. Much of this is due to a lack of efficiency of the system, a problem that can fortunately be rectified in a number of ways. These methods of rectification, however, are not always simple, though they are likely to still be worth it in the long run.
For instance, your furnace is likely making up a huge portion of your energy bill. One way to reduce the costs of your furnace is to go through with a furnace replacement. While this might seem drastic, a furnace replacement might be necessary if your furnace has not been regularly serviced, as regular servicing and maintenance can help you avoid the need for a furnace replacement for many years. However, the need for a furnace replacement will eventually become necessary for any furnace, as they usually only last for just under 20 years even in the best of cases.
When you pick out your furnace replacement, consider choosing a furnace replacement that is high efficiency. While all furnaces now have to have an overall efficiency that does not dip below 78%, some furnaces will have even more impressive efficiencies than even that. In fact, if you choose a high efficiency furnace replacement you might even see an efficiency level that exceeds 99%, a near perfect efficiency for your furnace replacement and a furnace replacement that is likely to consistently save you money and last for years into the future.
You can also increase your efficiency during the winter months simply by adding in insulation, even just in your attic space. Without insulation, the energy loss is likely to be severe, with up to 20%, nearly one quarter, of all the money you spend on heating services simply wasted due to a lack of efficiency and insulation throughout your home, as up to a quarter of the heat in your home will be lost due to small holes and cracks throughout the structure. On the contrary, adding insulation into your home can lower your utility bills by as much has 30%, an impressive number by just about any standards and one that will save you a good deal of money over the course of time.
The more insulation you have (and the better quality it is, at that), the more likely it will be for you to be able to lower your thermostat, which has been noted as one of the best ways to save energy in your home. Lowering your thermostat to cooler temperatures is more than possible, especially if you do it while you’re out of the home or while you’re sleeping, when most people prefer it to be cooler anyway. Simply lowering your thermostat by a mere two degrees can actually save you up to 5% on your overall heating costs – and while this might seem like a relatively low amount of savings, it is one that will build up considerably over time and amount to something quite significant, to say the least.
Aside from as a way to keep avoiding furnace replacement, regular maintenance and servicing is essential to the overall function of your furnace as well. In fact, an un serviced furnace can even prove to be dangerous, as up to three fourths of all no heat calls that are placed during winter months are directly tied to a lack of maintenance on the heating system in question. And when a home goes without heat for an extended period of time in a region where winters are cold and brutal, the lack of maintenance can prove dangerous and even life threatening, with an outcome (no heat) that should be avoided at all costs.
Heating and cooling systems are very important here in the United States, even very essential in certain parts of the country. Regular maintenance and energy saving measures can save the average home owner a great deal of money when it comes to heating and cooling their home.