Life starts at home. Living the good life is creating a comfortable and creative atmosphere to raise your family, run your business and build your dreams. Making good choices are part of creating your home and lets face it, a heating and cooling system is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment that you will purchase for your home. It also represents as much as half of the energy used inside the house. In the long term, newer, more energy-efficient heating and cooling systems pay for themselves. But the money that you have to lay out to purchase them can very difficult to handle, particularly for a young family on a budget.
Improving your Home HVAC
Consider replacing your heating and air conditioning system (HVAC) if it is old, needs repair, or is inefficient (a warning sign is it’s really LOUD). Compared to systems from ten years ago, HVAC systems today can be 60% more efficient. Consistently high utility bills or an expensive repair estimate will push you to consider replacing the system rather than painfully paying those monthly bills or digging deep to replace expensive parts. The utility cost savings alone gained by replacing your HVAC may provide a return on your investment in a surprisingly short time.
As a rough estimate, new energy efficient central air-conditioning alone will cost between $3,000 and $5,000 for a 2,000 square foot home. A new energy efficient central heating furnace should costs between $2,500 and $7,500. Don’t forget the insulated ductwork (the “duct” in “duct tape”) to maximize the efficiency of your new system, the ductwork usually costs between $1,000 and $3,000.
While you are replacing the equipment, understand the cost and implications of that service contract and negotiate it as part of your overall deal. Properly maintained to minimize wear and tear, your new system will keep it’s efficiency, and keep your investment looking smart. If you have a qualified technician in energy efficient heating & cooling greensboro nc perform the regular preventative maintenance and service suggested for your unit, your air conditioner should last 12-15 years and a gas furnace should last as many as 20-25 years. And once you put out all that hard earned cash, you really want to make this equipment last as long as possible.
Reducing your costs
Once you have decided to install a new system, be frugal about your investment. You can save money with incentives and rebates for energy efficient heating & cooling greensboro nc. Look on-line for available programs and rebates offered by your electric, gas, and water utility company. The Better Buildings Greensboro Rebate Program offers residents incentives for increasing home energy efficiency. Upgrades must increase energy efficiency by at least 15% to qualify, which is typically not a hard threshold to pass. The rebate amount is 10% of your total upgrade bill up to certain maximum amounts depending on the projected percentage of increased energy efficiency. And while you are at it, ask about rebates and incentives to replace the second greatest energy user in most houses, the water heater.
