How to Make Your HVAC System More Energy Efficient?

The best way possible to make your HVAC system more energy efficient would be to maintain it thoroughly and regularly as per the schedule of your maintenance. That way if the HVAC unit itself is performing well according to how it should be, then the system will start to perform efficiently. Regular maintenance also offers better HVAC airflow. Although, sometimes it takes more than just a seasonal maintenance check to make it energy efficient. 

1.     Keep the Main Unit at an Ideal Location

HVAC Systems are scattered all along the house vents and air ducts. The main outer unit is placed, well you guessed it, outside. But it is not just about keeping it outside and hoping for it to operate perfectly fine. The dimensions for where it is to be placed have to be taken into account. Make sure the outer unit is not situated in a confined space. This outer unit requires some free area for it to literally breathe. It releases built-up pressure into the atmosphere hence, the surroundings should be empty and spacious for it to safely execute this. Another reason for keeping it in an open space is for it to circulate the air that it takes in from the outside and pumps inside the vents. If the space is confined, it would be hard for the machinery to do that.

2.     Programming the Thermostat

The thermostat can be programmed to maintain different temperatures at different times of the day. For instance, at 1 pm the heat is at its peak which means the HVAC system should be generating enough cool air to keep the building at a steady temperature. However, when the sun sets, it becomes not so hot outside which means the system should also not be generating the same amount of cool air. If a greater amount of cool air is being generated then it will be less energy efficient. This maintenance of temperature can be done manually by a person assigned to do this one job but why do that when you can simply program the thermostat to automatically reduce or increase temperature according to the need? Applying this simple feature can help make your HVAC system more energy efficient. 

3.     Sizing Of The System

There are different types and capacities of HVAC systems that can be equipped in a building. This building can be a house, a bank, or even a whole hospital. The size of the house as compared to a hospital is substantially small hence, it would make sense to have a smaller unit of HVAC installed in a house and a bigger unit in a hospital. Having too much in a place where little can do the job will obviously mean that it is unnecessary. So, sizing the system to be installed is one of the crucial steps to be followed by every person getting an HVAC unit and every company installing it. After all, you are trying to make your HVAC system more energy efficient and that certainly will not happen if you have a 4000-watt system installed in your three-bedroom house. 

4.     Maintenance

Maintenance is the most important aspect of energy saving. If you are looking to make your HVAC system more energy efficient then keeping a lookout on all the functions of the system should be your go-to concern. As mentioned earlier, if there is anything that is not working as it should be then, that will be causing the whole system to force use more power which will result in a greater utility bill. Even the smallest changes matter in this context. If there is a plastic bag stuck in the main blower of the HVAC system, then it will not be able to push enough air which will automatically make it increase the pressure and will start sucking in more energy. 

5.     Insulation 

Despite the fact that it leads to a small amount of change in energy efficiency, it still is very important. Having all the insides of the building insulated is one of the easiest ways to make your HVAC system more energy efficient. It requires simple fixtures which are not even that costly and it can have a huge impact on energy saving. As mentioned earlier, if the thermostat is programmed to keep the temperature at a fixed level and that level is attained rather quickly with the help of insulation, then why shouldn’t you do it?! The thermostat will keep equilibrium in the temperature causing less energy to be consumed by the HVAC system making it eco-friendlier and cost-efficient. 

So, having the HVAC maintenance crew come over every year would be an ideal solution for some issue that has not even taken place yet. These HVAC systems are like the human body, if one thing goes wrong, other organs try to take over. Always remember, prevention over treatment!