Category: Uncategorized

Jun 06, 2023

As we strive for greater energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, optimizing the performance of our heating, cooling, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems has become a top priority. An efficient HVAC system enhances our comfort levels and helps us minimize our energy consumption, lower utility bills, and contribute to a greener planet.



However, achieving optimal efficiency demands a proactive approach and careful attention to various factors within our control. Explore six essential tips to boost the efficiency of your HVAC system.

1. Get a Smart Thermostat

Adding a smart thermostat is the way to go if you want to reap the most out of your HVAC system without breaking the bank. A smart thermostat also allows you to remotely alter the settings to keep your home comfortable, establish custom routines, and get alerts whenever the temperature outside deviates from your ideal indoor setting.

You can check the temperature, program it to turn on and off at certain times, and make other adjustments from your computer, tablet, or smartphone thanks to the WiFi connectivity of modern smart thermostats.

Challenge your current thermostat behaviors to get the most out of your smart thermostat and achieve maximum efficiency. First, try increasing the temperature by one degree in the warmer months and decreasing it by one degree in the colder months.

If you don’t mind a temperature change, you can gradually turn up the controls until you reach a state of comfort you and your household members prefer. Adjusting these parameters can have a significant impact on monthly utility costs.

2. Turn On Fans

Ceiling, plug-in, and whole-house fans can aid air circulation and reduce the load on central heating and cooling systems. Ceiling fans are instrumental because you can reverse them to move in the opposite direction, depending on the season.

In the summer, ceiling fans can ease the burden on air conditioners by cooling occupants without actually chilling the air in the room. The fan can also draw warm air from the highest point to where people have rested during the colder months.

Whole-house fans can draw in outdoor air and exhaust stale indoor air, dramatically decreasing the home’s cooling and heating needs.

3. Invest In Regular Maintenance

Your HVAC technician should change your air filters, check fluid levels, and clean condensation coils as part of regular maintenance. If your HVAC system doubles as a heater and air conditioner, check it twice a year, once before turning on the heater before autumn and once before turning on the air conditioner during spring.

Your contractor can find clogged filters, obstructed condensate drain lines, dirty evaporator coils, and other issues with this method. Always handle replacements or repairs when the HVAC system is not in frequent use.

4. Change the Air Filters

Clean and replace your HVAC filtration system and components monthly (or more frequently for some specialty filters). While switching to a higher minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) filter can enhance indoor air quality, it may also increase the HVAC fan workload and decrease energy efficiency. Maintaining your HVAC system by frequently cleaning or replacing filters will ensure clean air and little energy use.

5. Get Sun and Debris Protection

When your home receives too much sunshine, the air conditioning unit must work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. You can avoid this problem if you place your HVAC unit outside in a shady spot. Avoid putting it under overhanging vegetation since this could prevent efficient air circulation.

6. Have Airtight Vents

Ductwork leaks constitute a significant source of energy loss because they allow conditioned air to escape and heat or cool unoccupied spaces like the attic, basement, and wall cracks. Your HVAC expert can find leaks using pressure testing, and aluminum tape can fix any easily accessible pipes in the system.

Contact us at Dixie Land Energy for HVAC maintenance, repairs, and other services.

Mar 31, 2023

Why should you ignore HVAC troubleshooting tips you’ve seen online and call a professional? You’ve probably seen more than a few posts, blogs, articles, and videos that provide supposed top tips or easy how to’s. But are you unsure if you should give these quick HVAC fixes a try? Before you delve deep into the world of DIY, take a look at what you need to know about troubleshooting an HVAC appliance.

Does the Troubleshooting Tutorial Look Too Good To Be True?

The two-minute clip that shows a regular person (supposedly like yourself) quickly inspecting, diagnosing, and fixing their home’s furnace or central air conditioner system looks easy—too easy. A quality HVAC inspection and system diagnosis doesn’t have a universal minimum time limit. But a few short minutes is not likely to give you the information necessary to fix the heating or cooling appliance. 

Who Made the Troubleshooting Tutorial?

Anyone can post a tutorial or how-to video on the Internet. Don’t assume that the author or the person featured in the clip is an expert just because they make claims or wear something that looks like a technician’s uniform.

If you don’t know where the troubleshooting tips came from, whether the person you’re watching has real experience, or whether the clips are more of an advertisement than a helpful how-to, talk to a professional contractor who has an established business in your local area.

Do You Feel Safe Troubleshooting Your Own HVAC Appliance?

Unless you have specialized HVAC knowledge gained through years of hands-on training and classroom experiences, the answer to this question is likely no. HVAC appliances are complex pieces of machinery that are safe to use when they work properly and are installed by or serviced by knowledgeable professionals.

A novice’s DIY attempt at troubleshooting or repairing a furnace, boiler, or AC system could have risky side effects. These include (but aren’t limited to) an electric shock risk, electrical burns, fires, natural gas leaks, or carbon monoxide leaks. Instead of putting yourself, your household members, or even your neighbors in potential jeopardy, hire a professional to evaluate and fix your damaged, worn, or failing HVAC system and components. 

Will DIY Troubleshooting Help Your HVAC System To Work Efficiently?

Like safety, efficiency depends on the experience and knowledge of the person who will fix the HVAC system. Home heating use accounts for nearly 29 percent of the average homeowner’s utility costs and air conditioners cost Americans a collective $29 billion to use each year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. 

If you want to cut your heating and cooling costs, a DIY troubleshooting approach is not the way to go. While you can take simple steps to improve efficiency, such as changing the air filter, a new appliance installation, energy-saving repairs, a thermostat replacement, deep system cleaning, or debris removal are jobs for a professional.

Not only could these DIY HVAC services damage your heater or air conditioner, the wrong fix or an improper cleaning technique could slow the system down. This forces your furnace or AC unit to work harder to heat or cool your home. The result of the added work is increased energy use—and higher utility costs.

The U.S. Department of Energy notes that the right heating upgrades and insulation can save a homeowner up to 30 percent on their energy bill and a switch from an older AC system to a new high-efficiency air conditioner could cut costs by 20 to 50 percent. To maximize the efficiency of your system, talk to a professional. An HVAC contractor can troubleshoot your appliance and suggest either repairs or replacements to correct energy overuse. 

Do you need an HVAC repair, maintenance service, or installation? Contact Dixie Land Energy for more information. 

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