Despite advancement in energy production, the rising demand of energy and supply constraints are resulting in soaring energy prices. According to the Energy Information Agency, approximately 90% of 116 million homes in America will receive higher heating bills, particularly this winter. The challenge for homeowners is to seek for effective ways of reducing their heating costs, including:
• Energy Review
An energy audit entails inspecting and analyzing the flow of energy in a building, system or process. The process aims at reducing the level of energy input in the system, without compromising the output. In addition, to identifying the source of energy, an energy audit is geared towards prioritizing energy uses from the most effective to the least effective opportunities to ensure energy savings. A professional HVAC technician, like Air Quality Heating & Air, Located inSan Jose, CA, can evaluate the energy efficiency in a house using professional equipment like infrared cameras and blower doors, in order to recommend better ways of improving energy efficiency of the system.
• Heating System Upgrade
With natural gas and oil costs rising, a heating system that can reduce future energy consumption is a smart investment. If the heating costs have been on the rise it may be time to consider upgrading the heating system. Today’s new furnaces are energy–efficient, and can capture as much as 97% of the energy; however, it costs anywhere between $2,500 and $14,000 to purchase and install one. A professional HVAC technician can assist homeowners in determining the potential savings of upgrading the furnace, by figuring out the time it will take the cash savings to pay off the cost of the furnace.
• Thermostat Setting
Experts understand that keeping heating costs low can be challenging. Raising the heat level on the thermostat by a single degree can increase the costs by 3%, while lowering the thermostat very low can cause problems; therefore, it is important for homeowners to keep an eye on the thermostat setting, since turning it too low could easily freeze the pipes. Many of the new furnaces feature a programmable thermostat, which allows people to control the house temperature better.
• Home Insulation
For a homeowner with a furnace that still has a significant working life, buying new furnaces may not be practical. Such a person should consider other ways of improving fuel efficiency. A professional HVAC technician may recommend insulating the attic, blowing insulation into walls and replacing weather stripping on windows & doors. Air leaks around windows and doors can make the home drafty, thereby increasing the costs of heating. An energy audit, conducted by an energy provider can provide information about where the home’s drafts are coming in, giving the homeowner the ability to find the best methods of insulating the home and lowering the heating costs in the process.