Happy Earth Day! Here at Service Experts, we believe that it’s important to do our part to protect the planet. That’s why we’re offering some tips on how you can make your home’s HVAC equipment more energy efficient.
Earth Day is a day to celebrate the environment and increase awareness about the importance of protecting it. It’s also a day to find out more about what we can do for the environment. One way we can all help the environment is by improving our homes’ energy efficiency. Did you know that your home’s HVAC system is one the biggest energy users in your home? In fact, according to the Department of Energy, heating and cooling account for around 48% of the energy use in an average American home.
One way to tell is to find the SEER rating for your system. SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, illustrates how much energy your system used to cool your home across the cooling season. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient your system is. For a new air conditioner, the SEER rating needs to be at least 13. If you’re looking for an ENERGY STAR®-certified system, the SEER rating will be 14.5 or higher.
In addition to SEER, you can also check the AFUE rating of your furnace. AFUE, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, is a measure of how much of the fuel your furnace used is actually converted into heat for your home. The higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient your furnace is.
While there is not a minimum AFUE rating required by law, most new furnaces have an AFUE rating of 80% or higher. And if you’re searching for an ENERGY STAR-certified furnace, the AFUE rating will be 90% or higher.
So what can you do to make your HVAC system more energy efficient?
The Department of Energy suggests that a new air conditioner with a SEER rating of 16 could save you up to 20% on your cooling costs. If you own an older system with a SEER rating of 10, you can save up to 50%.
For a new residential furnace replacement, the Department of Energy estimates that an AFUE rating of 90% could save you up to 30% on your heating bill.
So, on Earth Day, we invite you to consider ways you can make your home’s HVAC system more energy efficient. Not only will it save you money, but it will also protect the environment!
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