How to Go Green With Your HVAC And Make it More Environment Friendly?

Many Bay Area homeowners are looking for tips and ways to make their living space eco-friendly and energy-efficient. This is because of an increased concern for the environment and rising energy costs. The HVAC system is a great place to start being environment friendly. This is the most-used equipment in a house and contributes to over 33% of the household energy.

These are a few tips that will help you make your HVAC unit more eco-friendly:

Don’t Rely Solely on the HVAC System for Your Cooling Needs

There is no denying the fact that you require an air conditioner to remain cool during the hot Californian summer. With that said, there are several things you can do to maximize the cooling system.

• Use fans for maximizing airflow
• Keep the curtains and blinds closed during afternoons and the hottest parts of the day
• Keep your window open overnight when the temperature outside drops. This will encourage cool air to flow through the house.
• Keep the lights off during afternoons
• Install blackout curtains and blinds for preventing the sun from heating your space
• Avoid using oven during the day
• Seal all air ducts
• Ensure the insulation is intact

You can also set the temperature on your thermostat a few degrees higher than required. This will help save energy and keep you comfortable. Your air conditioner needs to work overtime when it is really warm outside to achieve the desired indoor temperature. Furthermore, you don’t really need the air conditioner at 68° to remain comfortable in the house. You can always set the temperature to 72-74°. This will prevent the AC from working hard while providing plenty of relief.

Keep the System Maintained

An air conditioning system makes use of cooling fluids for producing cold air. Your system may not use CFCs. Pertaining to this, it may still use HCFCs. HCFCs tend to leak fluid if not maintained. This is bad news for the environment and your system. You need to get your air conditioner checked on an annual basis to protect the earth and the system.

The AC maintenance technician will clean the unit, review the entire system, replace air filters, and note any repair concerns. They will also check the various parts for identifying the ones that may be wearing out. You can save a lot of money on AC replacement by being proactive about maintenance and repair. Well-maintained system can prevent premature replacement, helping you save thousands of dollars in the process.

Choose an Eco-Friendly Model

Majority of air conditioners can easily last from 10 – 20 years. The average homeowners can get about 15 years from their AC unit. You should look for an HVAC unit that is Energy Star certified and highly efficient when looking for a new model. Energy Start products make use of guidelines established by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).

These units can reduce your impact on the environment. You should choose Energy Start certified products regardless of whether you purchase a central air system or room air conditioners. It is vital that the equipment you choose is sized correctly as per the space that needs to be cooled. This will help make sure that energy doesn’t get wasted. It will also prevent short-cycling of the unit.