HVAC tips

  • Properly maintaining your air conditioning systems, central A/C or heat pump can improve energy efficiency. Periodic inspection and maintenance from a local service provider helps ensure your system is working at its optimum level to provide a comfortable temperature inside your home.
  • Save up to $50 a year by having your HVAC system professionally inspected.
  • Regularly clean or replace furnace filters according to the package instructions. (The day you receive your energy bill can serve as a good reminder that it's time to clean or replace the filter on your furnace.)
  • Clean registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed. Be sure to move furniture, carpeting or drapes so they are not blocking the registers, heaters or radiators.
  • Your HVAC contractor should be able to provide fact sheets for various models so you can compare energy usage. While the national Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating is 80% for furnaces, ENERGY STAR® models must equal or exceed 90% AFUE.
  • Insulate your water heater to prevent heat loss. You may also want to insulate the hot water pipes in your home.
  • Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when replacing your HVAC equipment.