If your heating and cooling bills have gone up or some rooms are not as comfortable as others, you may have a drop in the efficiency of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. There are many potential reasons for this, including leaking ducts, improperly maintained equipment, an overtaxed HVAC system, and poorly installed systems. A certified HVAC contractor, like Peppers Heating and Air has the training and tools to test and evaluate an HVAC system’s efficiency.
EXAMINE DUCTWORK
If your utility bills seem higher, leaking ducts may be to blame. The Department of Energy estimates that up to 40 percent of conditioned air is lost through leaks, holes and poor connections in ducts. Repairing, sealing and insulating ducts is one of the best ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce heating and cooling costs by hundreds of dollars each year.
BALANCE THE HVAC SYSTEM
One of the ways to keep your HVAC system running efficiently is with HVAC balancing. Air Balancing considers a number of factors including: airflow, pressure, duct leakage and the pressure of fans, filters, and coils.
HVAC manufacturers test equipment under optimum conditions to determine a system’s energy efficiency and performance capacity. By comparing the operating performance of your system with the manufacturer’s specifications, Peppers Heating and Air can make adjustments in your home environment to keep your system running efficiently.
CHECK THE SEER RATING
Each air conditioner has a listed Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) that measures energy efficiency. The cooling output during the months the air conditioner operates is divided by the amount of electricity required to run it. Higher SEER ratings mean better efficiency.
To reduce energy usage, the Department of Energy began requiring minimum SEER ratings of 10 in 1992. By 2006, the minimum SEER rating was increased to 13. In 2015, the Department of Energy began defining ratings for each area of the country. In the Southeast, which includes Georgia, the minimum is SEER 14.
Peppers Heating and Air provides a full array of HVAC services, including new installations, preventive maintenance, and diagnostic repair. For more information about how to improve the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling system, call us at (770) 483-1282 to schedule a service appointment with one of our service technicians.
