The new year always brings with it colder temperatures, especially overnight, when it often gets near or slightly below freezing. As the colder weather sets in, it obviously results in your heating system needing to work harder. If your HVAC system isn’t operating efficiently, the workload on the system increases, as does the amount of energy it uses. That’s why you should follow these tips to ensure that your HVAC system operates efficiently throughout the rest of the winter and keeps your heating bills as low as possible.
Replace the Air Filter Regularly
When it comes to your HVAC system, one of the worst mistakes you can make is neglecting to change the air filter often enough. When an air filter gets too dirty, it clogs and restricts the airflow coming into the system. That means the system won’t heat as effectively since it’s not putting out nearly the volume of hot air that it should. This reduced effectiveness also leads to a drop in energy efficiency. Not changing the air filter often enough is also one of the main reasons why some HVAC systems fail prematurely or break down more frequently.
The fact that a heating system in Texas typically doesn’t run all that much means you’re usually fine to just replace your system’s air filter every three months. However, you should take the filter out every 30 days and check how dirty it is. If you use a filter with a higher MERV rating, you may also need to change it sooner since it will trap significantly more debris.
Make Sure You Program Your Thermostat Properly
Programming your thermostat is easy to ensure your HVAC system works efficiently and uses as little energy as possible. Specifically, you want to program the thermostat so that there’s an automatic temperature setback twice a day—at the time you leave for work and again at whatever time everyone goes to bed. There’s no reason to keep the temperature turned all the way up during the times when no one is home, and everyone is sleeping since it just results in your heating running more than it needs to and your energy bills being higher. Even if you set the temperature back by 5 degrees or so during these times, you could save 10% or more on your heating bills.
An even better option is to replace your standard programmable thermostat with an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat. These units have been statistically proven to improve HVAC efficiency and lower heating and cooling costs for your home. They’re also much easier to program since you can quickly do everything through an app.
Schedule a Maintenance Service
If you want to be fully certain your HVAC system performs at its peak and operates as efficiently as possible, you need to have a technician perform maintenance on it every year. Whether you heat your house with a furnace or a heat pump, your HVAC system has many more necessary maintenance tasks than you may realize. The specific tasks differ for each type of system, but they serve the same purpose: improving efficiency, reducing the chance of breakdowns, and protecting the system’s lifespan.
Another reason regular maintenance is critical is that it protects the warranty on the system so that you pay less if it breaks down due to a defective component.
Check for Air Leaks Around Doors and Windows
Leaky doors and windows can be a major issue regarding how efficiently your HVAC system works during winter and summer. The main concern in the winter is that leaks can allow a lot of cold air or heat to escape. While this heat loss technically won’t decrease the energy efficiency of your HVAC system, it will make your heating costs higher since it results in some of the heat the system puts out being wasted. In severe cases, these types of air leaks can end up wasting around 20% of the heat the system produces and, thus, the energy it uses.
With 40 years of service, Action Air Plumbing and Septic is the company to rely on whenever you need HVAC services in Lubbock. We offer professional heating and cooling maintenance and can work on all brands and types of equipment, including indoor air quality needs. You can also depend on us for reliable repairs, installations, and all your plumbing or septic system needs. To get help ensuring your HVAC system works efficiently this winter, contact us today to schedule a maintenance appointment.
