3 Most Common Causes of HVAC Energy Waste

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3 Most Common Causes of HVAC Energy Waste

Sep 25, 2018

Hand Air Filter Sky

Good housekeeping goes beyond simply dusting surfaces and mopping your floors. For your home in Gilmer, Texas, to feel comfortable, all of its components need to be in good working order. Your home’s HVAC system is a critical part of maintaining comfortable temperatures throughout in your house. To maintain your ideal level of comfort, you also need to ensure that your home’s HVAC system isn’t wasting energy. Discover how dirty air filters, clogged ducts and poor airflow can result in HVAC energy waste.

Dirty Air Filters

Dirty air filters in your home’s HVAC system aren’t something to take lightly. Filthy coils, caused by low-quality and dirty air filters, will impede the proper operation of your system. When your system can’t perform the way it should, it’ll face expensive breakdowns and a shortened lifespan. Additionally, you’ll also deal with higher energy bills as the HVAC system continually cycles on and off in order to maintain comfortable temperatures inside your home.

Regularly replacing or cleaning the air filters inside your HVAC system allows it to operate at peak efficiency. The change of seasons offers an ideal time to remind yourself to replace the air filters. Remember to replace your HVAC system’s air filter at least every 90 days.

Clogged Ductwork

The ducts in your home are responsible for transferring heat and cool air to the rooms of your house. Clogged or improperly maintained ductwork can inhibit the free movement of air and cause inadequate heating or cooling inside your home. As a result, you may find yourself adjusting your home’s thermostat to correct temperature issues that occur inside your home. Ultimately, though, the frequent thermostat adjustments only force your HVAC system to use more energy than necessary to maintain comfortable temperatures.

Every two to five years, ask an HVAC professional certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association to inspect your home’s ductwork for blockages. People who smoke in their homes and individuals who have pets should have their ducts inspected for problems more often. Regular inspections will also help to identify any issues within the ductwork that could turn into expensive repairs later.

Poor Airflow

If you own an older home and your rooms have grates or grilles in the floors or walls, your house is likely served by a forced-air HVAC system. With this type of system, conditioned air enters the rooms of your home through ductwork and returns to the HVAC system through return vents.

Older homes with these types of forced-air systems can experience problems with poor airflow throughout the house. In rooms without return vents, closing doors to rooms doesn’t give the air a chance to return to the HVAC system. When the air can’t return to the system, the return-supply cycle gets disrupted. As a result, it’ll force the system to work harder. You’ll experience uneven heating or cooling in some areas of the house and drafts in others, not to mention wasted energy and higher utility bills.

To deal with vent issues, you can trim doors by about an inch so they don’t completely seal off a room. Adding a jumper duct, which runs from a room without vents to a return vent, can also help to increase the efficiency of airflow from the room to the HVAC system. Installing additional return vents is another energy-efficient solution you may want to consider.

Properly maintaining your home’s HVAC system is an important step toward making your home and family feels comfortable. It’s also the best way to prevent HVAC energy waste. JD’s A/C can give you the best in service and installation for all models of HVAC equipment. Contact us today by calling (903) 759-7483.

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4 Tips to Manage Indoor Humidity

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4 Tips to Manage Indoor Humidity

September 22, 2018
Hand Print Fog

Humidity problems can make your home in Longview, Texas, uncomfortable. In addition, it can pose a significant threat to your family’s health and cause damage to your property. To create the most comfortable conditions in your home, you need to maintain an indoor humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. Follow these four tips to properly manage indoor humidity in your house:

Improve Ventilation

Improving ventilation in your home can help control moisture levels in the air. Therefore, when it’s humid outside, close your doors and windows. Use fans to circulate air throughout your home. Also, turn on exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms when you’re cooking, showering, doing laundry, or performing any other activity that generates heat and moisture. Exhaust fans will extract moisture from the air and release it outside. As a result, it’ll freshen the air inside your home.

Eliminate Sources of Moisture

Leaks, damp ground conditions, and moisture from household activities can increase indoor humidity levels. Locate and eliminate moisture sources in and around your home. Make sure your plumbing system and roof aren’t leaking and that water isn’t gathering around your home’s foundation.

Add Plants to Your Space

Plants not only make your home more aesthetically pleasing but also reduce humidity levels by absorbing moisture from the air. They’re also effective at improving the air quality in your home because they can remove harmful airborne particles and contaminants. Therefore, consider adding peace lily or snake plant in your home.

Invest in a Dehumidifier

Finally, if your home still feels humid after you have taken the aforementioned measures, consider investing in a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier works by absorbing moisture in the air and turning it into water droplets, resulting in clean, dry air. Depending on the severity of the humidity problem in your home, consider a portable or whole-home dehumidifier.

Managing indoor humidity can benefit you and your family in many ways. If you need help maintaining comfortable humidity levels in your home, contact JD’s A/C at (903) 759-7483.

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Why You Need an HVAC System Upgrade

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Why You Need an HVAC System Upgrade

September 18, 2018
Air conditioning Unit

As the summer heat continues in Overton, Texas, one of the last things you want is for your HVAC system to fail. But you also don’t want to live with an old system that requires costly maintenance and isn’t energy efficient. If you see any of these warning signs, consider upgrading to a newer, more efficient HVAC system.

Your System Requires Constant Repairs

Even small repairs can turn into big expenses if they happen frequently. How do you know when repairing an older system isn’t worth the expense? Here’s a formula that can help you determine whether repairing or replacing the unit makes more sense.

Consider replacing your unit if: (Cost of repairs for the existing unit) x (Age of existing unit in years) > (Cost of a new unit).

Your System is Less Energy Efficient

If you have an older HVAC system in your home, chances are good that it’s not an Energy Star-rated or an energy-efficient unit. This means you might see a significant rise in your monthly utility bill as your system runs more frequently to keep your home cool. You might also consider upgrading your system if you start to experience high humidity levels in your home. This can be a sign that your system isn’t efficient enough to control both temperature and humidity.

Your System is Older Than 10 Years

HVAC systems generally last 10-15 years — maybe a few years longer if they’ve been well-maintained. So if your system is in the double digits, be prepared to replace it. One issue with older systems is that the United States is phasing out products using R-22 refrigerants and is switching to R-401A refrigerants. As this happens, you may find yourself unable to get replacement parts (like compressors) for your older system.

At JD’s A/C, we want to ensure you stay comfortable in your Texas home. Contact our experts at (903) 759-7483 for an analysis of your current system and information on the new HVAC systems that meet your needs.

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