Small HVAC Habits That Save You Big Money

Small HVAC Habits That Save You Big Money

Your heating and cooling system is the hardest working appliance in your home. It is also the most expensive to run and the most painful to repair. When that metal box outside breaks down, it takes a massive bite out of your savings account.

The good news is that preventing a breakdown does not require a mechanical engineering degree. You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on fancy smart home gadgets either. Saving serious cash on your energy bill and repair costs just comes down to a few lazy genius habits.

Here are five small things you can start doing today to keep your money in your wallet.

1. The Monthly Filter Inspection

A clogged air filter is the absolute fastest way to kill your HVAC system. When your system has to suck air through a wall of dust, the blower motor works twice as hard and pulls significantly more electricity.

• The Habit: Set a recurring calendar alert for the first day of the month.

• The Action: Pull the filter out and physically look at it. If it is dark gray and heavy, throw it away.

• The Savings: A clean filter lowers your air conditioner energy consumption by up to 15 percent every single month.

2. The Two Degree Thermostat Nudge

We all want our homes to feel like a refrigerator in August and a sauna in January. But fighting the outdoor temperature that aggressively is incredibly expensive.

• The Habit: Learn to compromise with the weather.

• The Action: Set your thermostat just two degrees warmer in the summer and two degrees cooler in the winter.

• The Savings: You can save up to 10 percent a year on heating and cooling by simply adjusting your thermostat a few degrees for eight hours a day. Throw on a sweater in December and you will never notice the difference.

3. The Furniture Clearance Protocol

Your HVAC system operates on a closed loop. It breathes room air in through the return vents and pushes conditioned air out through the supply vents.

• The Habit: Do a quick visual sweep of every room in your house.

• The Action: Move the couch that is pushed flush against the wall return vent. Roll up the heavy rug that is covering a floor register.

• The Savings: Unblocking your vents eliminates dangerous static pressure. This prevents your motor from overheating and saves you from a massive premature replacement bill.

4. The Gentle Condenser Bath

The large metal box sitting in your side yard is called the condenser. It needs to release heat to cool your home efficiently. If it is covered in mud, lawn clippings, and cottonwood seeds, it cannot breathe.

• The Habit: Walk outside twice a year with your standard garden hose.

• The Action: Spray the outside of the unit with a gentle stream of water to clear the debris. Absolutely do not use a pressure washer, because the intense pressure will instantly destroy the delicate aluminum fins.

• The Savings: A clean condenser runs in shorter, more efficient cycles. This immediately lowers your monthly power bill and prevents the compressor from burning out.

The Quick Reference Savings Guide

The Bottom Line

You do not have to baby your heating and cooling system, but you do need to give it a fighting chance. By adopting these five simple habits, you will dramatically reduce your monthly utility costs and add years to the lifespan of your equipment.

The absolute easiest place to start is with that air filter. Grab a fresh one today and start saving.