The best way to achieve an energy-efficient home is to envision your house as a collection of interdependent systems. If one system isn’t up to par, the other systems will suffer. Therefore, the key to energy efficiency lies in ensuring that all of your home’s core systems are designed, installed and maintained so they can help one another work together.
Here are examples of how to optimize your heating and cooling systems for a more energy-efficient home.
Seal the leaks. The law of thermodynamics specifies that warm air tends to move into cooler areas. If your home is leaky, it will allow hot summer air to move into your home, and heated air to escape outside in the winter. In either scenario, your HVAC system wastes precious energy to keep your interior comfortable. Sealing your home’s leaks will help to prevent warm air from moving in the wrong direction. Depending on the situation and location, use, weatherstripping, caulk or spray foam to seal leaky doors and windows, your attic space, and exterior wall penetrations for plumbing and electrical lines.
Upgrade insulation. Unless you live in a new home, you may need to upgrade your insulation to increase the home’s energy efficiency. Start with your attic, as this is a key source of heat gain during the summer months as well as heat loss during the winter. Your insulation’s R-value should match the requirements for Zone 5. Make sure the insulation comes to no less than one inch below the attic floor joists. Then you can move on to crawl spaces and exterior wall insulation upgrades.
HVAC system. Since the average home uses around 50 percent of its energy consumption on heating and cooling, an energy-efficient heating and cooling system is a critical element in an energy-efficient home. If your heating or cooling equipment is 10-15 years or older, and has been having performance, efficiency or repair problems, consider an upgrade to a new high-efficiency HVAC system. Have your ductwork inspected as well. Poorly designed ducts, or ducts that lack adequate sealing and insulation, can be a major source of energy waste.
Are you interested in updating your HVAC system for a more energy-efficient home? Contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We’re the HVAC experts for Lorain County and the surrounding area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy efficiency and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area