A household’s carbon footprint is becoming a growing concern among American homeowners. The electric and fuel-consuming appliances and systems in your home all have an environmental impact.
Central heating and cooling systems contribute to a home’s carbon footprint – as they operate, they consume fossil fuels and emit carbon into the atmosphere. New HVAC system technology reduces energy consumption to lessen your environmental impact. Douglas Cooling & Heating has excellent central heating and cooling options to shrink your carbon footprint.
Reducing Your HVAC Environmental Impact
Replace your old HVAC system with a more efficient model. New central heating and cooling options lower residential power and fuel consumption. Between 1990 and 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency recorded an increase in carbon emissions by 28% because of lighting, appliances, and central heating and cooling systems. Due to this increase, the HVAC industry has developed energy saving options for your home.
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- HVAC Zoning: Zoning allows you to control the temperature in specific rooms and cut your energy expense. Zoning systems utilize a control panel operating several different thermostats and dampers. The thermostats control the dampers in your ductwork to distribute hot or cold air to your rooms. The dampers stay closed unless a thermostat opens them, conserving energy by not heating and cooling all areas of the home.
- High-Efficiency HVAC Systems: New technology allows furnaces and air conditioners to operate more efficiently in your home. High-efficient systems have ratings that show their energy efficiency. The seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rating shows the unit’s cooling output versus the amount of electricity consumed. The heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) rating measures how efficient your heat pump operates. The ratio measures the heating or cooling generated by electricity consumed. The annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) measures the heating efficiency of furnaces. The higher these ratings are, the more efficient your system is.
- Programmable and Smart Thermostats: Programmable and smart thermostats save you close to 10% on your annual energy bill. Higher energy savings mean less energy spent and lower carbon emissions. You can set the thermostat on a schedule to eliminate the need to run your HVAC system when you aren’t home or set the thermostat to a lower setting while you sleep. Smart thermostats go an extra step by learning your preferred settings for effortless comfort control and allowing you to control your home’s temperature with your phone or other Wifi connected device.
- Geothermal Heat Pumps: Geothermal heat pumps use lines in the ground to harness natural energy to heat and cool your home. They are similar to forced-air systems, except they are more efficient as they use the Earth’s constant temperature as an energy source versus gas or electricity. The EPA has determined that geothermal heat pumps offer the best efficiency and produce the lowest carbon dioxide emissions compared to other HVAC systems.
Reducing Your HVAC Environmental Impact Now
Installing a new, efficient central heating and cooling system can be expensive if it’s not in your budget. There are a few ways to improve your current system’s energy efficiency that are inexpensive:
- Install a MERV filter in your HVAC system with a rating between 8 and 12. The higher the MERV rating on the filter, the more efficient your filter is trapping pollutants and airborne particles. Clean filters allow your system to continue performing efficiently and reduces the chance of a breakdown.
- Adjust your thermostat settings to reduce energy usage. Raise or lower (depending on the season) your thermostat settings as much as you can without sacrificing comfort. Adjusting your thermostat setting this way allows your system to work less, saving energy.
- Schedule preventive maintenance with Douglas Cooling & Heating at least twice a year. We inspect your central heating and cooling system to make sure nothing is preventing your system from operating at its best. A clean and cared for HVAC system will reward you with energy savings throughout the year.
Reduce your HVAC environmental impact on the ozone and call Douglas Cooling & Heating! We offer the most efficient HVAC systems on the market, and our NATE-certified technicians have the knowledge and experience to reduce your energy usage.
