The holiday season officially begins month. It is a time for joy, celebrations, and spending time with your family and friends; however, it's also a time when homes' energy consumption tends to spike, leading to higher utility bills. The last thing you should have worry about during this season of thankfulness and togetherness, is how much your HVAC system usage is going to cost you. Are there some HVAC upgrades you can and should make to lower your holiday bills? Below we review some effective HVAC upgrades that can help you lower your holiday bills and make your home more energy efficient in the process.

HVAC Upgrades to Lower Your Holiday Bills

During the holiday season, as more people are in and out of the home, the North Bay Area outside temperatures start to drop, and you are looking for an extra cozy indoor environment, energy costs can rise significantly. The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills, with nearly half of this going to heating and cooling costs (EnergyStar). As we approach Thanksgiving, we enter into the time of the year where more and more energy is being consumed, meaning your costs go up.

If you want to feel extra grateful this holiday season, making some HVAC upgrades to lower your holiday bills, may be just what you need to take things to the next level. We have reviewed before how an energy efficient HVAC system can save you money, but did you also know that with the right HVAC improvements, you can ensure a cozy and energy efficient holiday season while keeping your energy bills in check?

Here are some HVAC upgrades you can make to lower your energy costs this season.

• Utilize a Programmable Thermostat: Having the right and a functional thermostat, can save you around 10% a year on heating and cooling costs. One of the simplest and most effective upgrades you can make to your HVAC system is installing a programmable thermostat. These devices let you to set specific temperatures for different times of the day, allowing you to reduce heating or cooling when you're away or asleep. By optimizing temperature settings, you can save energy and reduce your holiday utility bills without impacting your home and family’s comfort.
• Improve Your Air Ducts: Leaky air ducts can cause significant energy waste and uneven heating throughout your home, as well as higher costs. Over time, gaps and cracks in ductwork can develop, leading to conditioned air escaping before it reaches your living spaces. Have a professional inspect and seal any leaks in your ductwork. Fixing duct issues can improve your system’s efficiency, save you money, and extend the lifespan of your heating and cooling system. This is also a great time of the year for professional duct cleaning. Duct cleaning comes with many benefits: leaks, gaps, loose connections, and other problems can be spotted before they are much larger issues, improved indoor air quality, boost in efficiency, eliminates unpleasant odors, and more.
• Ensure You Have the Right Insulation: A well-insulated home can significantly reduce heat loss during the colder months of the year and heat gain during the warmer months of the year. Check your home's insulation, especially in attics, walls, and crawl spaces. Consider adding weather stripping around windows and doors to prevent drafts. Upgrading insulation can enhance the efficiency of your HVAC system by minimizing energy loss, allowing it to work more effectively and efficiently.
• Schedule HVAC Maintenance: One of the best HVAC upgrades you can make to lower your holiday bills and beyond, is to invest in a regular HVAC maintenance plan. Proper maintenance is key to the efficient operation of your HVAC system. By scheduling regular maintenance with a professional technician who can inspect, clean, and tune up your system, you can ensure that your HVAC system is running optimally, preventing potential breakdowns, maximizing energy efficiency, and providing uninterrupted indoor comfort. A well maintained system will not only reduce your holiday bills but also extend the lifespan of your HVAC equipment. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

This holiday season, by making some HVAC upgrades, you can lower your holiday bills, while enjoying a comfortable and cozy home. When it comes to your home’s heating system, the team at Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing is here for you. We have duct cleaning services, offer heating tune-ups, are experts in heating repair, have HVAC maintenance plans, and can install a new energy efficient HVAC system for you. We are your team for all of your heating needs in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties.

Contact us today.

Keeping your Bay Area home cool and comfortable is at the top of most people’s minds this summer and beyond. Our temperatures remain pretty consistent throughout the summer months, but vary throughout the hours of a day; you may need AC by day and heat by night. We know, comfort isn’t always the only thing on people’s minds when it comes to cooling and heating their homes, the cost of keeping your home in the ideal temperature range can play a major role on it and its occupants.

We have all heard about energy efficient options to help save some money on heating and cooling our homes, but do they really work? Are they worth it? Let’s review if an energy efficient HVAC system can really save you money.

What is Energy Efficient HVAC and Why it Matters?

Before we review if an energy efficient HVAC system can really save you money, we wanted to provide a brief reminder as to what this type of system is and why you should even consider this option.

Let’s start with the “why”. The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills, with nearly half of this going to heating and cooling costs (EnergyStar). Your HVAC system plays a major role in how much or how little you spend. If you have an older HVAC system, or one that is not energy efficient, if you switch to a high-efficiency HVAC system, you could reduce your energy use by 20% to 50% (Energy.gov). That large chunk of savings isn’t something to blink about.

An efficient HVAC system is cost-effective when the lifetime energy savings (from avoided energy costs over the life of the product, discounted to present value) exceed the additional up-front cost (if any) compared to a less efficient option (Energy.gov). To put this simply, compared to standard units, energy-efficient HVAC uses less energy and costs less to operate without affecting performance and comfort. An energy efficient HVAC system can be determined by two things: SEER and AFUE. You can read more about those here.

Can an Energy Efficient HVAC System Really Save You Money?

As we reviewed above, if you don’t have an energy efficient HVAC system in your home, chances are it is costing you by up to 50% more than it needs to be. A new HVAC system can help you enjoy more consistent heating and cooling throughout your home and lower your utility bills, yes, saving you money. Energy efficient HVAC systems have several other benefits as well:

• Increased comfort because energy efficient units produce more even heating and cooling, help maintain a constant temperature in every room in your home, provide consistent levels of airflow, and have superior humidity control.
• Lower noise level due to newer HVAC units being designed with sound-absorbing materials and technology.
• Better environmental impact because energy efficient systems use less electricity and burn less fuel than older systems. High efficiency systems use up to one-third less fuel than older models, which means they help conserve more of our natural resources.
• Rebates and incentive offers. In some states you may be able to get a rebate, tax break, or other financial incentive on a qualified energy-efficient ENERGY STAR HVAC unit. This will save you money right from the start of having your new HVAC system installed.

An energy efficient HVAC system can really save you money and comes with some other added benefits as well.

If you are looking for a heating or cooling system for your Marin, Sonoma, or Napa County home, contact Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing. We are committed to providing fast, cost-effective HVAC solutions for homeowners throughout the North Bay area.

January 5, 2023

2023 is here, and for many Marin, Napa, and Sonoma county homeowners, that means setting some goals for the new year. Whether your goals are around fitness, family, home repairs, finances, or something else, this the perfect time of the year to ensure you are setting yourself up for successfully achieving your resolutions. If your New Year’s resolution is to save energy or lower home expenses, energy efficient HVAC can help. We are going to review how upgrading to an energy efficient HVAC system can mean big savings for your home’s energy usage and your pocketbook.

What is Energy Efficient HVAC?

Do you know what consumes the most energy in your home? It’s your HVAC system. The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills, with nearly half of this going to heating and cooling costs (EnergyStar).

An efficient HVAC system is cost-effective when the lifetime energy savings (from avoided energy costs over the life of the product, discounted to present value) exceed the additional up-front cost (if any) compared to a less efficient option (Energy.gov). To put this simply, compared to standard units, energy-efficient HVAC uses less energy and costs less to operate without affecting performance and comfort.

An energy efficient HVAC system can be determined by two things:

SEER: Seasonal energy efficiency ratio or SEER, measures an air conditioner’s cooling output ratio, divided by the energy it uses in watt-hours. SEER ratings for modern air conditioners range from 13 to 21. The higher the number, the more efficient the cooling appliance will be. The U.S. Department of Energy enforces minimum SEER requirements that differ by geographical region.

A SEER ratio is calculated over an entire cooling season using a constant indoor temperature and a variety of outdoor temperatures ranging from 60 degrees to 100 plus. This is how it simulates a typical season.

Keep in mind that SEER ratio is a maximum efficiency rating, like the miles per gallon for your car. Say your car gets 34 miles per gallon on the highway; however, if you’re stuck in stop and go traffic it’s a lot less efficient. The same goes for your air conditioner. If your SEER ratio is 20, that’s the maximum efficiency and it could be lower depending on conditions.

AFUE: AFUE, annual fuel utilization efficiency, refers to the percentage of heat used by a furnace or boiler converted into heating your home. This is a measurement of how well your furnace uses fuel to heat your household. The higher the rating, the more efficient your heating unit.

A unit that has above 95 percent AFUE is converting most of its fuel into heat. Simply put; if you have a furnace with an 80 percent AFUE rating, you’re losing 20 cents of every dollar of your heating bill, or $20 for every $100 you spend.

The above is just an example. Your furnace probably has an AFUE rating of 78 percent or higher, unless you have an old furnace. In 1992, the U.S. Department of Energy established new manufacturing standards for furnaces, requiring them to be at least 78 percent efficient. That number rose to 80 percent in 2013, and most modern high-quality units hit 98 percent efficiency (Energy.gov).

How Energy Efficient HVAC Can Help you Save Energy and Money

If you don’t have an energy efficient HVAC system in your home, chances are it is costing you… quite possibly a lot.

If your outdated HVAC system is causing you to call for repairs or servicing several times a year, it might be time to consider an upgrade. A new system can help you enjoy more consistent heating and cooling throughout your home and lower your utility bill. Energy efficient HVAC systems have several other benefits as well:

• Increased comfort because energy efficient units produce more even heating and cooling, help maintain a constant temperature in every room in your home, provide consistent levels of airflow, and have superior humidity control.
• Lower noise level due to newer HVAC units being designed with sound-absorbing materials and technology.
• Better environmental impact because energy efficient systems use less electricity and burn less fuel than older systems. High efficiency systems use up to one-third less fuel than older models, which means they help conserve more of our natural resources.

 

If your New Year’s Resolution involves saving energy or money, an energy efficient HVAC system can help. Contact Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing. We are committed to providing fast, cost-effective HVAC solutions for homeowners throughout the North Bay area. Contact us today.