The shock of skyrocketing utility bills might have you thinking about upgrading your HVAC system. What should you understand about these more recent HVAC systems?
It appears that fuel expenses aren’t going to reducing any longer. The more current heating and a/c system systems are a lot more reliable than older units and utilize substantial lasting energy cost savings. The Federal government has mandated that any cooling systems must have a SEER rating of a minimum of 13 beginning in 2006 and this is outstanding, due to the fact that a twenty-year system might have a SEER rating of just 7 or 8. Nonetheless, genuine savings, you ought to take a look at your entire home as an energy eating monster that needs to be placed on a diet strategy. This consists of repairing air leaking doors and windows seals.
It does a bit great to alter an older HVAC system and expect a fantastic decline in utility bills if you do not take care of the areas where you are losing energy. New A/C systems are costly and the temptation might be to just install a brand-new high-efficiency furnace and air-conditioning system and wish for the best. The reality is, the reduction in utility bills may be frustrating since you may have neglected a significant player in the entire HVAC system like the ductwork.
An improperly created, dripping and under-insulated ductwork system can lose 30 percent or more of the money you pay to run your cooling and heating system and nullify any gain you might realize by establishing a brand-new high-efficiency system. Numerous duct systems are incorrectly insulated and leak conditioned air into un-conditioned attics and crawl areas. Specialists usually find disconnected ductwork throughout numerous home assessments.
When ducts leakage, conditioned air can be forced out unsealed joints and lost. In addition, also un-conditioned air can likewise be drawn into return ducts through unsealed joints. Attic temperature levels can be incredibly high in the summer season and cold in the winter season. So, any attic air that enters your system through un-sealed duct joints will require to be cooled in the summertime and heated in the winter, this increases the load on your system and increases your energy bill.
Surprisingly an older house may have a much better-designed duct system than a new home and may simply need a leakage check insulation upgrade. More current homes, on the other hand, might be a victim of cost-cutting measures and terribly produced duct systems.
Utilizing flex duct has grown in popularity since ease of installation and the high expense of shop-made sheet metal ducts. Flex ducts even set up appropriately are a poor alternative to appropriately created correctly insulated sheet metal ducts. It dominates practice to make plenums and coil boxes out of the taped-together duct board.
Ensure to include an examination of your ductwork system in your techniques to upgrade your HVAC system. There is no usage in difficult valuable conditioned air to the outdoors through leakages and worn-out duct insulation. If your duct system needs an overhaul, you might wish to consider a high-velocity shipment system that uses smaller sized PVC pipeline ducts. These high-velocity systems are to set up and insulate.
The bottom line on an HVAC system upgrade for maximum performance must consist of more than just the new equipment. Do not ignore the ductwork and include it in your spending plan!