Consumer Resources

How to Be More Energy Efficient with Your HVAC System

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are one of the largest sources of energy use in a home. Keeping the unit tuned up by performing regular ac or heating maintenance throughout the year helps a system run more efficiently. This, in turn, reduces electric bills and conserves energy. Roscoe Brown, Inc. performs ac or heating maintenance and repair in a 25-county area in central Tennessee, including Murfreesboro, Nashville and Tullahoma TN.

Energy Star, a joint program of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy, provides energy performance ratings of appliances and promotes energy saving practices to help consumers reduce energy consumption. If your system is old or requires major ac or heating repair, replacing it with a new model can provide significant savings over the life of the unit. If you decide to replace the unit, make sure that it is properly installed. Almost half of installations are incorrectly done, resulting in reduced efficiency and higher operating costs. Improved efficiency can reduce bills by up to 30 percent.

Inspect units regularly for leaks, proper levels of refrigerants, clogged ducts and dirty filters to ensure that they operate at optimum efficiency. These ac or heating maintenance checks reduce energy consumption. Leaking ducts can use up to 15 percent more energy. Look for holes, poor connections and leaks.

Cleaning or replacing filters regularly, particularly during times of high usage, will help the unit run more efficiently, save energy, improve air flow and enhance air quality. Refrigerant should be checked by a qualified ac or heating repair professional.

Programmable thermostats allow you to automatically regulate the temperature during times that you select based on your lifestyle and schedule. Pre-programmed settings that lower or raise the temperature during times you don't need as much heating or cooling will save energy.