Temperatures are starting to rise across the country this March as countless homeowners nationwide are now prepping their properties for an inevitably scorching summer.
By far one of the most effective ways to reduce your household’s energy costs later this year is by investing in HVAC upgrades during the spring season. There’s no denying how our HVAC systems account for the vast majority of every home’s energy usage, so improving HVAC efficiency always leads to noticeable monthly savings.
We recently interviewed the HVAC industry experts at Apex Clean Air to get a more in-depth view into how spring is the perfect time to make these types of improvements, as well what improvements homeowners should keep in mind this time of year.
So, here are a few strategic HVAC upgrades that’ll help you increase efficiency, improve comfort, and ultimately lower your monthly energy costs throughout the rest of the year!
Smart Thermostat Upgrades
One of the easiest and most effective HVAC upgrades that today’s homeowners are investing in is smart thermostat installations.
These cutting-edge devices make it easier than ever for homeowners to remotely control their property’s temperature settings through an easy-to-use app interface—and more importantly, these thermostats are also capable of making automatic temperature adjustments based upon your household’s daily schedule.
A good example of this is when a smart thermostat reduces cooling output while your family is away from home, and then restores more comforting indoor temperatures shortly before you typically return. This ends up going a long way to prevent your system from unnecessarily running throughout the entirety of the day, which significantly reduces overall energy consumption.
The majority of smart thermostat systems also come with unique energy usage reports each month. These can be invaluable for homeowners as they tangibly see how their specific heating and cooling habits impact their monthly bills.
Upgrading HVAC Air Filters
When it comes to HVAC efficiency, your system’s air filters play an essential role that a lot of homeowners neglect. When people don’t keep up with their filter replacements, they quickly get clogged with pollen, dust and debris—which forces your entire system to work much harder in its circulation efforts.
By upgrading your air filters this spring, you’ll reduce unnecessary straining and assist your HVAC system in running more efficiently throughout the course of the upcoming summer. High-efficiency air filters just so happen to be a very popular upgrade this year, and this is partly because they help households improve indoor air quality (IAQ) by capturing exponentially more allergens in comparison to traditional filters.
But even with these filter upgrades, you’ll still need to switch out your filters around every three months or so to maintain your system’s optimal performance and lower energy costs.
Sealing Air Leaks & Improving Insulation
Another essential HVAC upgrade to keep in mind this spring is sealing any air leaks that might be present around your property. Although these types of leaks might seem rather minuscule, even the tiniest of leaks will cause efficient HVAC systems to struggle as cool air escapes through places like doors, windows and ductwork.
By properly sealing these leaks, you’ll be doing your part toward keeping your conditioned air inside where it’s supposed to be. This will subsequently mean that your AC system won’t be running quite as frequently, which will reduce energy consumption.
Another important place to inspect this time of year is your attic, because your attic’s insulation will play a major role in regulating indoor temperatures this summer in terms of preventing heat from coming into your home.
And when you combine these two tasks together, these HVAC upgrades significantly reduce system workload!
Upgrading To A High-Efficiency HVAC System
If you feel as though your current HVAC system is frequently getting repaired or is just getting old, this spring could be the right time to consider upgrading to a more tech-savvy, high-efficiency system.
Today’s modern HVAC systems are specifically designed to reduce a home’s energy bills, all while providing even stronger cooling and heating performance in comparison to units that were built in the recent past.
The latest heat pumps and AC units now include various features like improved airflow technology and variable-speed compressors, both of which are capable of making automatic adjustments based on your home’s unique needs—as opposed to simply running on full power for a seemingly constant basis.
And although replacing your existing HVAC system is undoubtedly a significant home improvement investment, the good news is that the improved efficiency that you’ll benefit from will eventually pay for itself and make the new system a no-brainer purchase!
Scheduling Spring HVAC Tune-Ups
It’s understandable if you’re not feeling quite ready for a full system replacement this season, but even so, it’s still a smart idea to consider a professional HVAC tune-up from your local technicians this season to get your efficiency to a higher standard.
During these tune-ups, your contractor will thoroughly inspect all of your system’s key components, check refrigerant levels, clean coils, and help ensure that your system is operating as it’s supposed to.
These routine seasonal adjustments always go a long way to help residential systems run far more efficiently during peak cooling season, which also is huge for reducing the chances of experiencing breakdowns during the heat of summer!
Small HVAC Upgrades This Spring Lead To Huge Savings In Summer
You don’t always need major renovations to lower your home’s energy bills, because in many situations, even simple HVAC upgrades like the ones we listed in the above sections can make a tangible difference each month.
And by taking advantage of the spring season’s general lack of hecticness in the HVAC industry, you can improve your entire system and set yourself up to enjoy a more comfortable and affordable summer!
