What You Can't See May Be Costing Hundreds of Dollars in Wasted Heating and Air Conditioning Bills!

Your heating and cooling systems use more energy than any other system in your home. Typically, 46% of your entire utility bill goes for heating and air conditioning alone. For many homeowners, a large chunk of that heating and cooling bill may be completely wasted...and the culprit is hidden out of sight beneath your feet and over your head.

Your home’s air duct system is a complex network of tubes made of sheet metal, fiberglass or other materials that runs throughout your walls, floors, and ceilings, carrying heated or cooled air from your home’s furnace and central air conditioner to each room. But if these air ducts have leaks or are poorly insulated, as much as 60% of your heated or cooled air can be lost before it even reaches the registers in these rooms. That can result in a lot of wasted energy...and money. As well, ducts that are damaged or don’t work properly can create serious, life-threatening carbon monoxide (CO) problems in the home.

Sealing and insulating air ducts that are in unconditioned spaces -- such as an attic, crawl space or basement -- is extremely important and can be a great way to get a handle on out-of-control heating and cooling costs. Insulation if fairly easy to install on existing duct work. If you are buying a new duct system, consider one that comes with insulation already installed. Sealing your air ducts to prevent leaks is even more important if you want to save energy and money. If the supply ducts are leaking, large amounts of heated or cooled air can be forced out of holes or unsealed joints and lost. In addition, unconditioned air can be drawn into return ducts through unsealed joints. In the summer, hot attic air can be drawn in, increasing the load on the air conditioner. In the winter, your furnace will have to work longer to keep your house comfortable. Either way, your energy losses can cost you big bucks.

In most cases, air ducts in unconditioned spaces should be sealed and insulated by a qualified HVAC and duct work professional using appropriate sealing and insulation materials -- especially if the air ducts are concealed. If you're a handy do-it-yourselfer, here are a few simple tips to help with minor or temporary repairs to visible duct work.

• Check your ducts for obvious air leaks. Look for sections of duct work that should be joined but have separated, as well as for holes or punctures.


• If you use tape to seal your ducts, avoid the common cloth-backed, rubber adhesive duct tape that you can get at any old store. This garden variety duct tape tends to fail quickly. Instead, most HVAC and duct contractors recommend professional quality mastic, butyl, foil or other heat-resistant tapes. Look for tape with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo.


• Be award that insulating ducts in the basement will make the basement colder. If the heat ducts are fully insulated, water pipes and drains in the basement could freeze and burst if the basement temperature gets too cold. Use electric heating tape wrap on your pipes to prevent this. Also consider insulating your basement walls to hold more heat in or installing heating in your basement.


• If your basement has been converted to a living area, hire a professional to install both supply and return registers in the basement rooms.


• Make sure that a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent moisture from building up.
  

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Replacing your old heating and cooling system with a new, energy-efficient heating and cooling system is a challenging decision for most homeowners. Heating and cooling can account for nearly half of the energy used in your home. You want to maximize your comfort, but you don't want to pay through the nose. The right system may cost more upfront, but save money and reduce utility bills over time. The wrong system may need constant repair, under perform or die before its time. So much to consider!

When it's time to install a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, make an educated decision with the help of these simple suggestions:


Find the Right HVAC Contractor
Getting the right contractor is key to getting a quality installation. Make sure the contractor you choose has at least several years of experience and can provide references. Make sure that the contractor is licensed and insured. Be sure to ask for a written contract of all work in advance. And always choose a contractor’s whose service and installation technicians are certified by North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE is an industry-supported certification for heating and air conditioning technicians. NATE-certified HVAC technicians have met the nation's highest standards for HVAC training and knowledge.

Here are some additional things your heating and air conditioning contractor should do BEFORE you sign a contract:

• Measure existing ductwork to be sure it can handle the increased air flow of a new system
• Do a complete Load Calculation that will take into consideration window and vent locations as well as existing hot or cold areas of your home.
• Discuss with you any indoor air quality issues such as allergies, humidity levels in your home and any additional features you would like in your new home comfort system.
• Present you with several system options, not just one.
• Give you a written guarantee that your new heating and air conditioning system will perform as promised.

Bottom line: all heating and air conditioning contractors are not alike. In the end, it’s the contractor who will make the biggest difference in how the installation or replacement goes.


Properly Size Your Heating and Air Conditioning System
When installing or replacing heating and air conditioning cooling equipment, bigger isn’t always better and one-size does not fit all. Oversized HVAC equipment will cost more up front, consume more energy, provide inadequate cooling and humidification, and ultimately, need to be replaced prematurely. And don’t assume your current heating and air conditioning system is the right size either; today’s HVAC equipment is more efficient than those 10 years or older and your original system may have been sized improperly. Efficiency, not size is what you're after. Ask your HVAC contractor to thoroughly measure your home and calculate the "size" of the system using Manual J, or an equivalent industry-acceptable calculation tool.


Proper Installation is Crucial
One of the biggest factors in getting the best performance out of your new heating or air conditioning system depends on how well it is installed. Shoddy installation accounts for over half of the HVAC service calls and most customer dissatisfaction during the first year of operation. At a minimum, make sure your HVAC installation technician performs the following:

• Installs equipment in easily accessible areas for easy maintenance.
• Tests for adequate airflow and verifies that the cooling system has been charged with the correct amount of refrigerant.
• Conducts a combustion safety test after ducts are sealed to be sure all gas or oil-burning appliances are working properly.
• Replaces indoor and outdoor coils for maximum efficiency.

Sealing and Insulation
Central air conditioners, heat pumps, and furnaces rely on a system of ducts to circulate air throughout your home. Heated and cooled air can easily escape through gaps between duct joints. Ask your contractor to seal and insulate ducts throughout your home; this can improve your heating and cooling system’s efficiency by up to 20 percent!


Heating and Air Conditioning System Maintenance
Your contractor should be available to do annual check-ups and tune-ups of your heating and cooling system to help prevent future problems and keep your system in fine working order. If your contractor offers a Service Partner Plan or other kind of maintenance contract, sign up for it! It will keep you on a schedule of regular and proper maintenance, save you money over time and give you peace of mind.

Also be sure to keep your system clean and free from dust, dirt and debris. Accumulated dust and other impediments can block the flow of air and that can drastically reduce the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. Be sure to check your air conditioner or furnace filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it or clean it. Never go longer than 3 months without replacing or cleaning a filter.

Look for the ENERGY STAR Label
When deciding on a heating or air conditioning system, insist on it being an Energy Star qualified system. The Energy Star designation is your best assurance that you are are buying an energy-efficient system. Be sure to ask your HVAC contractor to estimate your utility costs of purchasing an Energy Star qualified system. Although Energy Star heating and air condition equipment may cost more initially, they will cost much less to operate over time. In fact, most Energy Star qualified heating and air conditioning products can yield annual returns of 15–30 percent in lower energy bills. That translates into hundreds of dollars in annual savings.

More About Heating & Air Conditioning Installation...

• Choosing the Right Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor
• Making the Right Decision about Heating and Air Conditioning
• Heating and Air Conditioning System Analysis
• The Heating and Air Conditioning Installation Process
• 5 BIG Mistakes Homeowners Make When Replacing Their Heating and A/C Systems