As much as half of your household energy use goes to heating and cooling. With a few simple steps to properly seal and insulate your home, and energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment, you can stay comfortable and save on your energy bills at the same time. Review the checklist on the next page to decide whether you should consider sealing air leaks, adding insulation, replacing your old heating and cooling system, or improving the performance of your existing system. Once you’ve decided on what changes need to be made, visit page 12 “Working with a Heating and Cooling Contractor” for tips on selecting the right contractor to perform the services you need.
You may want to consider making a change if: Some of your rooms are too hot or cold. Duct problems, inadequate air sealing or insulation could be the cause. No matter how efficient our heating and cooling system is, if your home is not properly sealed and insulated against air leakage, you will not be as comfortable and your system will have to work harder. Learn more on page 8, “Improving your Home’s Comfort with Home Sealing.”
Your home has humidity problems and/or excessive dust. Poorly operating or improperly sized equipment could be to blame. Leaky ductwork can also cause these problems, so having it sealed may be a solution. Monthly maintenance of your heating and cooling equipment’s filters may also help. See page 16, “Getting Properly Sized Equipment and a Quality Installation,” page 10, “Sealing Your Ducts” or page 6 Maintaining Your Equipment” Your cooling system is noisy. Your duct system could be improperly sized or there may be a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment. See page 10, “Sealing Your Ducts” or page 6, “Maintaining Your Equipment.”Your equipment need frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up.
In addition to the rise in energy costs, the age and condition of your heating and cooling equipment may have caused it to become less efficient. See page 6, “Maintaining Your Equipment” or page 14, “Choosing the Right Equipment.” Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 12 years old. Consider replacing it with newer, more efficient equipment. And remember, high efficiency levels begin with ENERGY STAR. See page 14, “Choosing the Right Equipment.” Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old. Consider replacing with ENERGY STAR qualified equipment. ENERGY STAR has set high efficiency guidelines for both furnaces and boilers. See page 14, “Choosing the Right Equipment.” You leave your thermostat set at one constant temperature. You could be missing a great energy-saving opportunity. A programmable thermostat adjusts your home’s temperature
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The average home spends about $1500 annually on energy bills. Heating and cooling accounts for as much as half of a home’s energy use. The EPA provides important recommendations for energy-efficient equipment, including proper sizing, quality installation and maintenance, and other home improvement considerations to help you get the most out of the heating and cooling products you purchase, save energy, and save as much as 20% annually on your total energy costs.
Whether you’re replacing heating and cooling equipment in your home or planning the installation of equipment n a new home, choosing ENERGY STAR qualified products can help keep your home comfortable year-round and contribute to a cleaner environment. ENERGY STAR qualified products prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
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