Thursday, December 6, 2012

Winter Strain on Heaters and Wallets


The autumn is an active time for a homeowner. Aside from enjoying football, holidays, and the crisp weather that accompanies this time of the year; homeowners must begin to take account of their preparedness for the winter season. Aside from preparing your cars, buying the correct wardrobe, and stocking up on supplies, the prepared homeowner will also begin to take stock of the condition and efficiency of their HVAC installations; especially heating units.

Heating units are forecasted to be under particular duress this winter. After the sweltering summer we experienced, air conditioning installations were run through the gamut. Now, still reeling from the pressures of the brutal summer, HVAC installations are expected to have to survive a frigid extended winter. Preliminary forecasts are indicating that the upcoming winter will require homeowners to run their heating systems for almost 20% longer than they did last year. This is partially due to the mildness of the past winter, but also due to the expected length of the coming one.

Cost of running a system no matter the length is also projected to rise. Natural gas cost is expected to rise by about 4% in the American Northeast, making seasonal heating bills swell by about $1,000 - $2,500 depending on usage and variable weather. Electric heat users are not immune, as the extended use is expected to grow electric consumption by no less than 6%.

Whatever your HVAC installation runs on, particular emphasis should be placed on conservation and smart usage during the 2012-2013 winter. Preparing your home and systems could wind up saving a savvy homeowner thousands of dollars with just a few smart concerns. Take account of your home and HVAC installation now, while its still cheap and manageable, before letting yourself get caught up in shoddy winter repairs and steep costs.

To winterize your home and improve an HVAC installation's effectiveness, the primary concern should be to not waste heat or treated air. Build a strong thermal envelope in your home by shoring up cracks in window panes, siding and doors. Essential to keeping the environment warm is keeping warm air in and preventing cold drafts from leaking through. If you're unsure whether an area has a leak, hold a lit candle near it. If the flame flickers, than air is passing through.

Also, managing ventilation will improve HVAC effectiveness. Make sure that vents aren't leaking, as vents that have fallen into disrepair can waste almost 50% of a heater's output. A qualified air conditioning contractor should be able to fix any ventilation problems without much issue. Once your vents are in proper condition, make sure that nothing can obstruct their transfer of heat. Furniture, piles of clothing, clutter; move it all to make sure that nothing prevents the heater from circulating air through the vents. Blockages will cause an HVAC installation to have to work much harder to keep up.

Prepare your systems correctly and make sure that your bills are manageable and affordable during the trying winter to come. Make the steps to contact air conditioning contractors now, before they become more expensive in the deep winter. Think ahead, secure your home from drafts and air leaks, and you'll enjoy the frigid winter from the cozy warmth of your home.

Why In Floor Heating Should Be Preferred To Forced Air Systems   Some of the Top Reasons Why Your AC Can Go Bad   Mistakes to Avoid and Prevent Air Conditioning Repairs   Geothermal Heating Shows Improved Potential As Capacity Increases   Time to Have Your Furnace Maintained for Winter   



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