Happy Earth Day! Here at 黑料社区, we believe that it’s聽crucial聽to do our part to protect the planet. That’s why we’re聽offering聽some tips on how you can make your home’s HVAC聽equipment聽more energy efficient.

What Is Earth Day?

Earth Day is a day to celebrate聽the environment聽and聽spread聽awareness about the importance of聽taking care of聽it. It’s also a day to聽find out more聽about what we can do聽to protect聽the environment. One way we can all help the environment is by聽making our homes more energy-efficient. 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聽around聽48% of the energy use in聽a typical聽American home.

How can you tell how much energy your HVAC system is currently using?

One way to聽find out聽is to聽find聽the SEER rating聽of聽your system. SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio,聽is a measure of聽how much energy your system聽uses聽to cool your home聽across聽the cooling season. The higher the聽SEER rating, the more efficient your system is. For a new air conditioner, the SEER rating聽must聽be at least 13. If you’re looking for an ENERGY STAR-certified聽system, the SEER rating聽must聽be 14.5 or higher.

In addition to SEER, you聽should聽also聽look at聽the AFUE rating of your furnace. AFUE, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency,聽measures聽how much of the fuel your furnace聽used聽is actually聽turned聽into heat for your home. The higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient your furnace is.

While there is聽not a聽minimum AFUE rating required by law, most new furnaces have an AFUE rating of 80% or higher. And if you’re聽searching聽for an ENERGY STAR-certified furnace, the AFUE rating聽must聽be 90% or higher.

So what聽are some things you can聽do to make your HVAC system more energy efficient?

Install a聽smart thermostat: A smart thermostat聽could聽save you up to 30% on your聽monthly聽bill.
Make sure your HVAC system is聽properly聽maintained: a聽routine聽HVAC tune-up聽can聽increase聽the efficiency of your system by up to 15%.
Install聽an ENERGY STAR-certified model: If you’re in the market for a new HVAC system,聽choose聽one that has the ENERGY STAR label. These models are at least 15% more efficient than聽standard聽models.聽Don't forget聽to use certified聽air conditioning installers聽when聽choosing聽a new聽unit.
Check on聽the insulation levels in your attic:聽Adequate聽insulation in your attic can help聽decrease聽the amount of heat that escapes from your home, which means your HVAC system won’t聽need聽to work as hard to keep your home comfortable. According to the EPA,聽properly聽insulated attics can save you聽an average聽of 15% on your energy bill.
And聽lastly,聽don't forget聽to change your air filter: A dirty air filter can make your HVAC system work up to 15% harder. This means it’s聽using聽more energy and costing you more money.

How much money can you save by upgrading to a new system?

The Department of Energy聽suggests聽that a new air conditioner with a SEER rating of 16聽may聽save you up to 20% on your cooling costs. If you聽own聽an older system with a SEER rating of 10, you聽can聽save up to 50%.

For a new聽residential furnace replacement, the Department of Energy estimates that an AFUE rating of 90%聽may聽save you up to 30% on your heating聽costs.

So, on Earth Day, we聽invite聽you to聽think about聽ways you can make your home’s HVAC system more聽energy efficient. Not only will it save you money, but it will also聽help聽the environment!