Harsh weather can cause your energy bills to spike, especially when your HVAC system is working overtime. But there's good news. Homeowners in Sandpoint, Idaho, can cut heating and cooling costs and reduce strain on their HVAC system by using smart energy-saving HVAC practices. From scheduling a routine HVAC tune-up to DIY HVAC maintenance, these minor adjustments can help you stay comfortable and save money.

Here, the experts at Age Heating & Cooling will offer their best heating and cooling tips for HVAC energy efficiency to help you reduce energy bills without giving up comfort.

1. Get for Seasonal HVAC Maintenance

Of all the energy-saving HVAC tips for property owners, one that often makes the biggest impact is regular HVAC maintenance. Scheduling expert furnace maintenance in the fall and air conditioning maintenance in the spring helps make sure these systems are in peak condition and ready for the heating and cooling seasons. It's also a perfect opportunity to detect and resolve any inefficiencies, worn-out parts or brewing issues—saving you from avoidable HVAC repair and potentially extending the life of your heating and cooling equipment. 

2. Change Programmable Thermostat Settings for the Seasons

Programmable thermostats offer multiple ways to reduce electricity use. In summer, set your thermostat to automatically raise the setting when you're away. In winter, set the temperature to drop slightly when the home is empty and warm back up when you get back. Even a few degrees can cut down significantly on energy use.

Take your savings a step further with a smart thermostat. One of the many smart thermostat benefits is their ability to track your daily patterns and automatically adjust your heating and cooling settings. Because of this smart thermostats can increase your energy efficiency—and you don't have to manually change the temperature.

3. Prevent Energy Waste By Eliminating Air Leaks in Your Home

Air leaks around windows, doors and in damaged ductwork permit heated or cooled air to seep out of your home. Work with a reliable HVAC technician to find out if you need duct sealing and insulation services. Addressing duct issues, making sure you have adequate insulation and blocking drafts all help prevent energy waste by allowing your HVAC system to work less in order to keep your home comfortable.

4. Perform Seasonal DIY HVAC Maintenance

In addition to scheduling a technician for professional HVAC maintenance, you can reduce energy bills by handling these home HVAC maintenance tips:

  • Remove debris like sticks, grass clippings and shrubs from around your outdoor air conditioning equipment in spring
  • Wipe down the fins of the outdoor AC unit in spring
  • Follow a seasonal HVAC air filter replacement schedule: Inspect your system's filter monthly, replacing if dirty or every 90 days
  • Make sure air vents and registers are uncovered
  • Check your thermostat settings, ensuring it's on cool mode in summer and heating mode in winter

5. Replace Old, Failing Units with Energy-Efficient HVAC Systems

Improve energy efficiency by replacing outdated HVAC equipment with new high-efficiency HVAC systems. Consider opting for ENERGY STAR®-rated HVAC equipment, which uses less energy than non-rated units. When picking out cooling equipment, check for a high SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating. Unsure what SEER means? The easiest SEER rating explanation: the higher the SEER, the more efficient the system. The same is true with AFUE, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, which measures efficiency in heating equipment. The higher the AFUE, the more more energy efficient the equipment. These numbers are important because energy-efficient HVAC systems can really help reduce energy bills and enhance your comfort.

Work with Age Heating & Cooling to Prevent HVAC Energy Waste in Your Home

When it comes to staying comfortable and saving money on your heating and cooling Age Heating & Cooling is the HVAC company Sandpoint, Idaho, locals rely on for their furnace, AC, heat pump and more. From seasonal HVAC tips like these to heating and cooling installation, we provide full-service service all year. Call 208-603-2210 today for Sandpoint, Idaho, HVAC service you can depend on.