How old is your home? If your home is more than 15 years old, you may be experiencing increased outside air getting into your home through cracks in doors, windows, and exterior walls from settling. Very old homes will experience this issue even more. Inspect your doors, windows, exterior walls, and roof for cracks and gaps.
How old is your HVAC system? If more than 10 to 15 years old, you need to invest in a new Energy Star® efficient system.
What type is your heating system? (Gas, Heat Pump, Electric Resistance) Gas and heat pump systems are the most efficient. Electric resistance central heat is the most expensive to operate. If you have electric resistance, you will need to upgrade to a heat pump to lower heating bills.
Are you changing your air filters monthly? Dirty air filters make your system work harder, especially in older systems.
When was the last time you had your AC and furnace tuned up? Yearly and seasonal maintenance is key to preventing costly breakages and extending unit life.
Are your ducts insulated? Are they in an insulated space? Creating cool or warm air is hard enough for your HVAC system. Having ducting affected by opposing temperatures makes it even more difficult.
Is your ducting properly sealed? If your ducts have leaks, you are paying to heat or cool areas of your home that don’t need it, or worse, outside your home.
Are you using space heaters? Space heaters are just as expensive to run as an inefficient heating system. If you are using them along with your heating system, it’s a double whammy.
Do you have enough insulation in your attic, walls, and floors? All exterior walls and floors should be fully insulated, and your attic should have a minimum of 10 to 14 inches of insulation. Attics should have an insulation value of R38. Walls should be insulated to R13 to 15 and floors to R25.
Do you have a fireplace? Fireplaces can suck heat out through the chimney when not used. Keep the flue closed when not in use.
