When hosting guests for the holidays, you obviously want to make sure to provide a cozy, comfortable environment. That can sometimes mean turning the thermostat up higher than normal, which can lead to a significant increase in your energy bills. Luckily, there are some simple ways to ensure that every room stays warm without breaking the bank.
Open All Vents
One of the most common heating myths is that you can keep the main parts of the house warmer and reduce the amount of energy your HVAC system uses by closing the vents in unoccupied areas. Closed vents actually have the opposite effect and lead to an HVAC system not functioning as efficiently or heating as evenly. If more than a few vents are closed, it creates a pressure imbalance between the return air ducts and the supply ducts. Specifically, it leads to the pressure in the supply side becoming increasingly high due to heated air continually building in the ducts. As the pressure increases, it becomes much more difficult for the system to move air through the ducts. This leads to weak airflow in some parts of the house, resulting in them not getting fully warm before the system shuts off. By keeping all vents open, you’ll enjoy more even, consistent heating in every room.
Keep Interior Doors Open
Keeping interior doors closed to trap heat inside rooms may seem like a good idea, but it also interferes with an HVAC system’s ability to heat evenly and efficiently. A properly functioning system must be able to circulate air throughout the house. Closed doors create barriers that block air circulation and interfere with the system’s ability to draw sufficient air through the return vents and ductwork. The incoming air is restricted, resulting in weaker airflow coming from the supply vents and the system putting out less heat.
Check HVAC Air Filter Before Hosting Guests
Regularly checking your HVAC system’s air filter and replacing it as necessary ensures it heats effectively throughout the winter and doesn’t start using more energy. The longest you should ever go without replacing the filter is 90 days. When the temperatures start dropping over the holiday season, you may need to replace the filter every four to six weeks due to how much extra work your heating system has to do. If you use the same filter for too long, it will get clogged to the point where it greatly reduces the incoming airflow and leads to a significant drop in efficiency and heating performance. By checking the filter before hosting guests and replacing it if needed, you’ll ensure that your HVAC system heats every room more evenly and doesn’t waste energy.
Schedule a Heating Tune-Up
The best thing you can do to ensure effective heating performance throughout the holidays is to schedule a professional HVAC tune-up. A tune-up involves inspecting and testing the critical components to make sure they still function correctly and aren’t at risk of wearing out. If the technician finds any issues, they can usually repair or replace the component on the spot. This inspection is crucial for avoiding the HVAC system from suddenly breaking down and leaving you without heat. Whether you have a furnace or a heat pump, cleaning various components, including the blower, heat pump coils, furnace burners and flame sensor, helps improve performance and prevent energy waste. In addition to preventing breakdowns and improving energy efficiency, scheduling annual tune-ups also helps extend the life of a furnace or heat pump.
Consider Upgrading to a Zoned HVAC System
Converting an existing HVAC system to a zoned system typically costs a few thousand dollars, but it’s an investment that really pays off. HVAC zoning splits a house into individual heating/cooling zones (usually between two and four) that each have an independent thermostat. This allows you to precisely control the temperature in each zone. If one zone heats faster, the thermostat will signal the system to stop sending air to that zone as soon as it reaches the desired temperature. The other zones will continue getting heated as needed. If a zone cools down more quickly after the heating shuts off, the thermostat will signal the system to start heating that zone again. The other zones will still stay closed until they cool off to the point they need to be heated again.
HVAC zoning is an extremely effective way to ensure that parts of your house never get too hot or don’t get warm enough. It also makes a major difference in how much energy the HVAC system uses and how much it costs to heat the house. If you have a zone that rarely gets used during certain parts of the day, such as the bedroom area, you can keep the thermostat in that zone set lower to reduce how much work the system has to do.
At Chillicothe Comfort Heating & Air, our trusted HVAC experts are ready to help ensure you enjoy superior comfort and lower energy bills this holiday season. From heating maintenance and repairs to system upgrades, we have the solutions to all of your needs. To schedule a service call or consultation in Chillicothe or the surrounding areas, contact us today.