An efficient heating system keeps your property warm in the winter months and lowers your energy expenses. Due to this, many property owners wonder how to make their heating systems more efficient. Fortunately, you don’t always have to upgrade your system to enjoy more efficient heating. In some cases, performing essential maintenance can boost the efficacy of your system.
Our team at Rock Valley HVAC, Inc. created this guide to explain how to make heating more efficient in your home or office. For more information or to learn about expert heating repair in Milton by Rock Valley HVAC, Inc., contact our team today at 608-496-9907.
In the meantime, read on for our top tips for making your heating system more efficient.
1. Change the Air Filter
Regularly changing your air filter is a great way to improve the efficiency of your heating system. Most manufacturers recommend changing the air filter every few months. However, you can do so anytime you notice a build-up of dirt and debris in the filter.
Filters remove contaminants from the air that circulates through the vents in your home. Filters often catch:
● Dirt
● Dust
● Pet hair
● Pollen
Over time, the debris clogs up the filter and prevents air from passing through. As a result, your heating system has to work harder to circulate air through your home, increasing your energy expenses.
2. Install a New Thermostat
Smart thermostats can help you improve the efficiency of your heating system and save money. Many smart thermostats feature WiFi functionality, which allows you to change the temperature in your home from your phone, even if you’re away from the property.
You can also program smart thermostats to adjust the temperature when you’re not at home, saving on energy costs. These thermostats may change the temperature at night, helping you save money on your energy settings, while others adjust based on outdoor temperatures.
3. Set Up Regular Maintenance
Regular maintenance appointments help keep your heating system in prime condition. Professional HVAC technicians have the training and experience to assess your system and perform necessary adjustments.
Our experts at Rock Valley HVAC recommend setting up a maintenance appointment in the fall. Regular tune-up appointments allow our crews to look over your heater before the temperatures begin to drop. Then, our technicians can perform all necessary maintenance, repair worn-out parts, and clean the system.
Our crews perform various tasks when they take care of heater maintenance. Depending upon the kind of heating system you have, they may:
● Clean all parts of the system
● Lubricate moving parts
● Test the thermostat and controls
● Tighten electrical components
● Assess amperage and voltage
● Clean the condensation drain pan
If you have a gas or oil furnace, our team will check all connections, heating elements, and burners, too. This regular maintenance does more than improve the efficiency of your heating system. It also helps you avoid costly breakdowns and extend the life of your heater.
Our team knows how to handle all kinds of heating systems, including boilers and radiant heaters. Depending on your system setup, our staff may focus on repairing bleeding radiators, checking natural gas lines to ensure they’re in prime condition, or minimizing overall wear and tear.
4. Weatherize Your Home
Weatherization is one of the best ways to make heating your home more efficient in Janesville. Weatherization often involves:
● Adding insulation to walls or attic spaces
● Sealing drafts
● Caulking leaky windows or doors
We recommend working with professionals to weatherize your property properly. Weatherizing your home helps keep warm air in while preventing cold air from entering. This process reduces the workload on your heating system, allowing it to operate more efficiently in the long run. It also lowers your energy expenses.
You may also consider having your ductwork checked during the weatherization process. Over time, the duct system in your home can develop cracks or leaks. Warm air then seeps out through these cracks as cold air enters the system. If your installation team installed your ductwork incorrectly, it may have expedited the process and created problems with heat retention.
Fortunately, our technicians at Rock Valley HVAC, Inc. have the training and equipment needed to deal with leaky vents. They can patch and seal the vents, preventing additional heat loss, take the strain off your heater, and enable it to work more efficiently.
5. Consider a Heat Recovery Ventilator
Heat energy often escapes from your home as it moves through the vent system. Fortunately, you can recover much of this energy using a heat recovery ventilator.
This tool captures as much as 70% of the energy lost in your vent system. It also prevents heat from escaping, meaning that your heater does not have to produce more warm air to keep you comfortable.
Our trained technicians can install a heat recovery ventilator alongside your heater, helping you focus on energy-saving options instead of a complete overhaul and reducing your heating costs through the winter months.
6. Look Into Outdoor Reset Controls
Do you use a gas boiler to heat your home? If so, you may want to consider adding outdoor reset controls to the system to help boost the heater’s overall efficiency and adjust the temperature of your boiler.
In many cases, you can adjust your boiler temperature based on the weather. For example, you may not want your boiler to get as hot on relatively mild days. Outdoor controls allow you to limit the boiler’s overall temperature and draw less energy.
Some property owners reduce their heating costs by as much as 10% by adding an outdoor reset control. However, you should always hire a professional to install outdoor reset controls to ensure nothing goes wrong.
7. Upgrade Your Old Heating System
Adding new features to your current heating system can make your heater more efficient in many situations. However, your heater will still wear out eventually, even with regular maintenance and care.
Over time, heating systems grow less effective and may begin breaking down. Before that happens, repairing the system is the most cost-effective option, but if the system continues to break down, it may be cheaper to replace it entirely.
Replacing your heating system comes with several benefits. Companies focus far more on energy efficiency for newer units, which means a new system can lower your energy expenses immediately. You can also avoid the costs of regular repairs with a new system.
You have countless options when it comes to new heating systems, too. Depending on your needs, you may want to move away from an electric or propane system. Some property owners consider geothermal or solar options to further reduce their energy expenses.
Some furnace models come with equipment rebates or tax breaks for installation as well. These systems give you the chance to save more money while investing in an energy-efficient system.
You can learn more about ways to improve the energy efficiency of your heating system and increase your energy savings by reaching out to our technicians at Rock Valley HVAC, Inc.
Get Help Making Your HVAC System More Efficient
Want to learn how to make heating more efficient for your home? Contact our team at Rock Valley HVAC, Inc. for assistance. Our technicians will examine your home, recommend a heating system, and discuss HVAC and AC differences to help you make decisions about your heating and cooling needs. Reach out to a member of our team today by calling 608-496-9907.
