Don’t let high energy costs disrupt your comfort. Do your research, work out a budget, and invest in equipment with the highest efficiency levels that you can afford. It’s true that the higher the efficiency of a heating or cooling system the higher the initial costs generally are, but you can offset that purchasing price by saving money on utility costs down the road. Here is some information to help you heat and cool your Melbourne home more efficiently.
- Efficiency Ratings– Heaters, air conditioners and air filters all have different efficiency ratings. It is important that you understand what each of them mean so that you can know what sort of performance you can expect from your home comfort systems.
- AFUE: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency measures the efficiency of gas and oil-fired furnaces. It is a percentage that tells you how much of the fuel consumed actually goes towards heating your home and how much is wasted. Industry minimum AFUE requirement is 78%.
- SEER: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio measures the efficiency of air conditioners and heat pumps when cooling your home. The higher the SEER number the more efficient the machine. Regulations require a minimum of 13.0 SEER.
- HSPF: Heating Seasonal Performance Factor measures the efficiency of heat pumps when being used for heating. Again, the higher the number the more efficient the heat pump. Today’s heat pumps are required to have at least 6.8 HSPF.
- Energy Management Systems – Modern technology lets you take more control than ever over how you use energy in your home. With a home energy management system you can control temperature settings and power use in your home remotely from a smartphone or laptop. Shut off small appliances, adjust temperatures and more no matter where you are. You can ensure that you’re always coming home to a comfortable environment while using less energy with greater control.
- When to Purchase – It can be tempting to stick with your existing home comfort systems rather than investing in new, higher efficiency models. However, frequent maintenance and repair costs plus higher operational costs can actually wind up costing you more. Take into consideration the quality of your system, its age and, of course, your budget. High efficiency home comfort equipment may have a higher price tag, but the energy savings translate into financial savings. When you’re ready to replace your home comfort systems make sure that you get the most efficiency for your money.
This information should help you understand the benefits and points to consider when contemplating a new home comfort system. Get the most efficient performance you can afford from your Melbourne heating and air conditioning systems. For more information, give Next Generation Air & Heat Inc a call!
