Unique house designs were some of the ways people coped with uncomfortable climates before the emergence of modern HVAC systems. HVAC technology and human comfort at home have never been the same again. But that does not rule out system challenges. So it is understandable if you find a sudden energy consumption increase or relentless noise from your unit too much to bear.
Don’t worry; HVAC replacement can bring the cost savings you seek.
If you don’t know exactly when and how taking this route would be the most cost-effective, this article will address those concerns. What you stand to gain from an HVAC ReplacementCooling and heating account for 50% of energy usage (https://energy.gov/public-services/homes/heating-cooling) in a typical home. This makes energy-efficient HVAC systems with high SEER ratings central to lowering energy costs for homeowners. First, check if your unit has a yellow sticker.
Fig 1: Sample Energy Guide Label (source: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-use-energyguide-label-shop-home-appliances (https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-use-energyguide-label-shop-home-appliances))
Every new HVAC unit comes with a sticker, or EnergyGuide label. The Federal Trade Commission-administered label estimates the annual energy consumption of an appliance. It also compares the consumption with the average for its class. If you know the power output that required for your building’s HVAC, it is easy to do an ‘apples-to-apples' comparison with your current unit. You can compare the cost of the unit with the potential savings from HVAC replacement. Compared to the monthly costs of the old HVAC system, a new system presents potential short-term and long-term savings.
- Short Term Savings
- Long Term Savings
- Utility rebates
- Federal incentives
- Buying a new unit during the off-season
- Home buyers appeal
- Hundreds of dollars in annual energy bill savings
- Repair savings
- Healthy and happy home
Is Your HVAC costing you more?
How often have you called the HVAC serviceman for major issues this year? The older a system gets, the more its wear and tear. Constant HVAC repairs and maintenance can put you on the back foot. Analyze the system and it may surprise you that it has already reached the ‘50% rule’ threshold – the HVAC repair costs have reached 50% of the value of the system. Unless the utility company has hiked the rates, skyrocketing HVAC energy bills are a pointer to a system that’s turned into a serious energy waster. This can happen to an old unit because its components have to run longer cycles, hence consuming more electricity. Also by simply being old, the unit cannot compete with newer ones in terms of energy efficiency. To put it into perspective, a unit older than 2006 can have a rating as low as 4 SEER, while modern ones can go up to 26 SEER! A system that operates on a single temperature setting is a source of not only discomfort from poor cooling or heating but also high energy costs. It has to cool or heat every corner of the house at once but still ends up producing cold and hot spots. Such scenarios suggest the system is probably too expensive to run.
Replace the HVAC system, save money
If the system is anything close to 20 years old, it might be time to replace it. Most systems have a service life of between 10 and 20 years. With time, it becomes more expensive to repair and maintain an aged HVAC system than it is to install a new one. Remember that with the reduced energy efficiency, the higher energy bills are also piling. That begs another question: How often have you been monitoring your energy bills? Fluctuations of the bills over the year are normal. What’s not normal is a huge spike, especially when compared to the same month the previous year. HVAC repairs in such situations are often too expensive and may be recurrent. Keep track of the heating and cooling repair costs and determine if getting a newer HVAC replacement is a cost-effective option. As long as you’ve ruled out insulation problems, having excessive humidity or dust in the air despite the unit working is also a strong pointer you need to install a new unit. An aging system will often have problems controlling the climate in the building. If your HVAC system has been breaking down more often nowadays, and the mention of the utility bill scares you, consider investing in a new HVAC system.
Do you feel like professional help in HVAC replacement would be necessary at this stage?
Call our experienced team today or visit our website for an HVAC replacement estimate and more. Call your local hvac leader Advantage Refrigeration & Air, Inc of Panama City, Florida!