A Helpful Heating And AC Repair Guide To Purchasing An Energy Efficient Home | Richardson, TX
Are you thinking of buying a new home? We highly recommend purchasing an energy-efficient home to save 30 percent on utility costs. While they can be more expensive than homes that are not energy-efficient, you get to save more money in the long run. They can also be a good investment, especially when you’re thinking of selling your house.
One of the things to consider in buying an efficient home is the HVAC system. Please contact a heating and AC repair technician in Richardson, TX, if you need help with your home’s heating and cooling systems.
This guide will talk about the common features of energy-efficient homes and why it’s essential to install and properly maintain an efficient HVAC system to save more money in the long run. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating today.
What Are the Features of Energy-Efficient Homes?
While having a reliable and trusted HVAC system can help you save money on your utility bills, there are many other ways to make your home more efficient. Below are the most common features that you see in an energy-efficient home:
ENERGY STAR certified appliances – To maximize your energy savings, check whether or not the appliances are certified by ENERGY STAR. These types of appliances are designed to use less energy than their counterparts. Look for a high-efficient oven, washing machine, furnace, refrigerator, and water heater.
Energy-efficient windows – Remember, you can save up to 50 percent more energy with triple pane windows compared to a single pane window. The installation also matters with energy-efficient windows — do make sure that the previous homeowner only hired professional installers to ensure it’s properly installed. With energy-efficient windows, your HVAC system won’t have to work harder to keep you warm and comfortable in your home. It can also prevent calling a heating and AC repair service technician.
Improved insulation – Do you know that your HVAC system will work harder and consume more energy if your home doesn’t have good insulation? Eventually, it may also lead to a breakdown of your system. You can avoid calling a heating and AC repair service technician with good insulation. Some of the best materials for insulation are those made with natural materials like cellulose and hemp — they come with a high R-value and are also renewable. If you need more information about insulation for your home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our heating and AC repair service technician in Richardson, TX.
Eco-friendly materials – If you want to also help the environment while saving energy at the same time, look for a home that’s made with renewable or recycled materials as they have a lower environmental impact.
Smart thermostats – You want to be able to control your thermostat when the temperature starts rising or dropping. With a smart thermostat, you can track your energy usage and remotely control the temperature in your home. In addition, you can easily adjust your heating and cooling schedule with a smart thermostat installed. Look for this feature if you want an energy-efficient home.
Air sealing – To keep heated and cooled air inside, ensure that the windows, doors, or pipes have comprehensive sealant. This way, your HVAC system won’t have to work harder, too — it prevents calling a heating and AC repair service technician in Richardson, TX.
Solar panels – Solar panels may be expensive to install, but you get to save more energy. Look for this feature to maximize your energy savings.
How to Make Your Home Energy Efficient
Do you want to save more energy and money? Use these tips to help make your home more energy-efficient.
Get an Energy Audit
We suggest hiring a professional to evaluate your home’s energy usage. The detailed report provided by a professional can determine where you’re wasting energy. He can also recommend ways to help you save energy at home. While you can do your energy audit, we highly recommend hiring an experienced professional to get the best results.
Maintain Your HVAC System
One of the things you can do is ensure that your heating and cooling system is in excellent shape. You can achieve this by regularly maintaining your system, like cleaning the filters every two to three months and getting an annual tune-up.
Regular HVAC maintenance can detect problems leading to costly emergency heating and AC repairs in Richardson, TX. Our technician at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating will thoroughly inspect your HVAC system during the inspection, and we’ll let you know if there might be issues that need to be addressed. Our guarantee: We will make sure that your heating and cooling system is energy-efficient to help you save more money.
Upgrade Appliances
If your appliances are old and not energy-efficient, consider replacing them with new ones. You may also want to upgrade your heating and cooling system, especially when you’ve been getting higher utility bills recently. Remember, an inefficient heating or cooling system is more expensive and may also suddenly break down. You can avoid calling a heating and AC repair service technician and costly bills with an energy-efficient HVAC system.
Get the Right HVAC Size
Some homeowners think they can save money by getting a bigger heating and cooling system to heat or cool a home. When it comes to energy efficiency, it’s always best to buy the right HVAC size. Contact one of our heating and AC repair service technician in Richardson, TX, if you need help deciding what size of furnace or air conditioner to purchase for your home.
What Is the Most Efficient Heating System?
Are you planning to upgrade your home heating system? Read on to know the different types of home heating systems and which one is more efficient. For installation, please make sure that you only hire a licensed heating and AC repair service technician.
Types of heating systems:
There are three main components of a heating system: the heat source which provides warmth (and this can be a boiler, furnace, or a heat pump); the radiators or ducts which is responsible for moving warm air around your living spaces; and the thermostat or the control system that lets you set the temperature. It’s crucial to only hire qualified heating and AC repair service technicians to ensure your appliance’s proper installation. An incorrectly installed HVAC system can lead to higher utility bills and costly heating and AC repairs.
Boilers
Boilers burn fuel to create steam or heat water circulated via the radiators. Household members suffering from allergies and other respiratory issues can benefit from boilers as this type of heating system doesn’t blow dust or allergens into your living spaces. For installation, please make sure that you only hire a licensed heating and AC repair service technician in Richardson, TX, to avoid problems with your appliance.
You can choose from different types of boilers: oil boilers, electric, natural gas boilers, steam boilers and condensing boilers.
Most homeowners find that this type of heating system is highly efficient. However, it’s crucial to buy the correct boiler size for your home. You won’t be able to save energy with an undersized boiler — instead, you’ll end up with skyrocketing energy bills. Your heating system may also suddenly break down if it’s undersized. To avoid costly heating and AC repair service, please get in touch with one of our technicians to help you choose the right boiler size for your home.
Heat Pumps
While boilers burn fuels, the heat pump uses electricity to pull out heat and transfer it to your home. The process is reversed during the summer.
Go with the air-source heat pump if you want an affordable option. Water-source heat pumps pull the heat from either a nearby lake or another water source. They are less common than hybrid heat pumps, which use both water and air. Some homeowners also use geothermal heat pumps. If you want to know the right type of heat pump to install for your home, please contact our heating and AC repair service technician to help you make an informed decision.
Furnaces
A furnace may be a more efficient home heating system, depending on the available power type in your area. There are four types of furnaces: electric, gas, propane, and oil.
How efficient are furnaces depends on the features included, the construction or design, and the size of the furnace? A propane or natural furnace consumes more energy, while electric furnaces can keep more energy in their system. Among the three types of heating systems, the furnace is second to heat pumps regarding energy efficiency. For installation, please make sure that you only hire a licensed heating and AC repair service technician in Richardson, TX.
While the heat pumps are the most energy-efficient heating system, they may not be ideal in areas with extreme temperatures. During the freezing winters, you may need to also invest in space heaters and a heat pump to lower your energy consumption.
How to choose a heating system for your home:
You need to consider your home’s energy source in choosing a heating system. For example, if you only have electricity as a power source, getting a boiler would not be the best choice. Consider getting propane if you don’t have natural gas available.
The climate is another factor to consider in choosing a heating system. Albeit you purchased an energy-efficient heat pump, it would not be beneficial if you lived in very hot or cold climates. Consider getting either the boiler or the furnace instead.
And as mentioned, always consider the size of your home and insulation in choosing the right size of heating system to install. Hire qualified heating and AC repair service technicians only for the installation.
Those with family members that suffer from allergies may consider installing steam or a hot water system to prevent dust into their living spaces. Most importantly, use smart control to maximize energy savings. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our heating and AC repair service technicians.
Helpful tips to keep your HVAC system in excellent shape:
When it comes to your heating and cooling system, please ensure that you don’t ignore problems. If you suspect there might be issues with your furnace or air conditioner, please immediately contact a technician. Never attempt a DIY repair to avoid more problems. Regularly clean the filters and get a tune-up at least a month before summer and winter. Most importantly, hire qualified technicians only for repairs, installations and maintenance. DIY enthusiasts offering their services at a lower price may not have the right tools and training to get the job done right the first time. Contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating because we guarantee complete satisfaction.
Ready to buy an energy-efficient home?
Look for energy-efficiency certifications to ensure that the home you purchase is indeed energy-efficient, sustainable, or green. You can also consider using eco-friendly home search sites to make it easier to buy an energy-efficient home. If you just want upgrades to your home, please get in touch with our heating and AC repair service technicians so we can make good recommendations.
Contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas
Do you need a heating and AC repair service technician in Richardson to help you with HVAC repair, installation, or maintenance? We’re here to help! One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas is available 24//7 to cater to homeowners and businesses that need emergency services. All of our technicians are licensed, insured, and highly experienced. There’s no repair job we can’t handle — just get in touch with us at your earliest convenience, and we’ll quickly dispatch a technician to come to your home or business. Call us today for an appointment!