There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about so-called “smart” HVAC systems. So, you may be wondering what exactly is a smart HVAC system? When it comes to superior energy efficiency and home comfort matched to your lifestyle, the answers are yes and yes.

Conventional HVAC Systems vs. Smart HVAC Systems

HVAC systems are an expensive necessity, which may account for nearly half of your home’s energy bills. There are ways you can cut cooling and heating costs, such as tightening up your home with air sealing and insulation. Though standard and mid-efficiency HVAC systems simply cost a lot of energy dollars to run.

Moreover, older HVAC systems lack the digital features and technologies needed to provide superior comfort compared to smart HVAC systems.

For example, with your standard HVAC system, you set the thermostat to your desired temperature, such as 78 degrees for cooling. Your AC unit engages and sends cool airflow to your entire home. As far as efficiency and comfort go, this would be fine if all of the rooms of your home were always occupied. Otherwise, you are using energy to cool perhaps several rooms of your home that aren’t being used.

Smart Upgrades

Smart HVAC systems incorporate digital features used in home automation. WiFi comfort controls replace standard thermostats. Motion sensors and other technologies monitor and control indoor temperatures, lighting, and more according to occupancy and your habits. So, basically, a smart HVAC system “learns” your comfort and lifestyle habits, and adjusts for maximum home comfort and energy savings.

You may even monitor, manage, and change indoor environmental conditions from your smartphone app or online computer. That’s smart! So, if it’s time for you to upgrade, be smart and talk to your Winter Haven Air Conditioning  specialist about installing a smart HVAC system.

What is Weatherization?

Weatherization involves both sealing your home and then insulating it from additional weather concerns. If your home is not properly weatherized, you’re literally leaking money from your home. Running your heating and air conditioning without ensuring that your home is weatherproofed Sealing your home provides a physical barrier at cracks and other entryways where air might enter or leave your home. These areas are commonly referred to as “drafty” areas because there is air flow involved. Insulation provides a layer of protection against heated or cooled air escaping from the house. By properly weatherizing your home, you’re ensuring that the air you heat or cool stays where you want it to stay. Proper energy efficiency keeps your home’s heating and air units from working overtime to try to keep up.

Testing Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

One of the ways to determine how energy efficient your home is involves contacting a local company to perform an energy audit for you. The person performing the audit examines both the interior and the exterior of your home. He is looking for areas that are unsealed, or locations which might be compromised. The inspector then investigates your HVAC system to ensure that it is working properly. This includes not only the heating and cooling units, but also the ductwork as well. Thorough tests of all of the systems involved ensures that you have a full picture of your home’s current status. Testing your home’s energy efficiency is not a one time action. You’ll need to perform this task at least annually to make sure that you keep up with any problems that develop in your home. By staying on top of any problems, you can correct them before they become large issues.

Sealing Your Home

Once your home energy audit determines where the weaknesses lie in your home weatherization plan, the next step is to seal those leaks. This involves processes such as using caulk to seal door and window leaks. You should also install weather stripping if it is not already in place. Areas such as attic entry points and basement doors should also be weatherproofed in order to attain the maximum energy efficiency for your home. In recent years, lots of different types of insulation have come along. You can still get the traditional fiberglass insulation, but there are others also, such as foam insulation that expands to fit the area you need to fill. Look into these other options to finish your weatherproofing.

Air Conditioning Ductwork Repair for Greater Efficiency

During your energy audit, it’s likely that you might find ductwork that needs to be repaired. This is important because even if you properly seal the rest of the house, leaking ductwork allows heated or cooled air to escape your home’s interior. To properly fix the problem, your HVAC repair team will need to locate all of the faulty ductwork and replace individual pieces with sealed ducts. Once repaired, your heating and air conditioning units will again be able to function at peak efficiency, which means they will run less often and save you additional money.

HVAC Filters

Larger particles in the air are trapped by filters in all types of forced air cooling and heating systems. This means the inside components of the system are kept clean. More airborne particulates will be trapped if the filter is upgraded to one with a higher MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) and the quality of the air will be improved.

Extended Media Filters

These files require professional installation and trap many more particles than HVAC filters.

There is not enough space inside the compartment of the air handlers for these filters which are about eight inches thick and so they need to be placed inside the ductwork. Their surface area is increased through the use of filtration media and pleating. In order for the HVAC to run as efficiently as possible, the airflow inside the air handler may have to be adjusted by a contractor.

The filters should be replaced annually, or more often if necessary depending on the amount of airborne particulates that there are in the home. The air quality will be reduced if these filters are not replaced and air conditioning costs may also increase.

The highest MERV of all air filters is offered by HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) which is another kind of extended media filter. 99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns can be removed by this type of filter. It can be installed in the HVAC system or is available as a portable air cleaner. They are too thick to be used as an air filter alone as they will not fit in the frame and sufficient airflow cannot pass through the air handler.

Electronic Air Cleaners

Tobacco smoke and other small particles can be effectively removed from the air by these systems as an electrostatic charge is created through the use of electricity. Routine cleaning is required but the system will never need replacing. Regular cleaning helps this system work effectively, as it removes the airborne particles that become trapped as they pass through the system.

If people have health that is already compromised, or if they are very young or old then the lungs and nasal passages can be irritated by the small amount of ozone that is created by some of these cleaners.

Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI)

Organic airborne particulates are killed by this product instead of just being trapped. Mold spores, bacteria and viruses are mutated by the spectrum of sunshine known as ultraviolet (UV) light and this mutation prevents them reproducing. There is less chance that these organic particles will affect a person’s health if UVGI systems and HVAC air filters are used in conjunction with each other.

Indoor air quality is improved when using UVGI lights as they can also be used to control the growth of mold on the evaporator coil that is found on the inside of central cooling systems. This also improves the efficiency of the cooling system. Air filtration systems including UVGI systems are often used in healthcare settings, as they help to reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria.

There is a difference between air filters and air cleaners. Offending substances are altered by air cleaners, whereas the matter is held on the surface of a filter. Volatile organic compounds (VOCS), and gases such as ozone, carbon monoxide and radon, cannot be treated by either air cleaners or air filters. To help reduce the toxicity of these type of hazards appliances must be maintained properly and the home should be adequately ventilated.

The experts at Winter Haven Air Conditioning would be happy to advise customers on any questions you may have about improving air quality indoors. We have over 25 years experience in providing HVAC services for the entire region of central Florida.

How do you start making your home energy efficient?

A professional energy audit is the first step in making your house more energy efficient. During a professional energy audit, one of Winter Haven Air Conditioning technicians will evaluate your energy usage to see what areas are draining electricity and what areas can work more effectively overall. Understanding Home Efficiency SavingsUpdating your HVAC system is the best way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Your home’s HVAC system can contribute up to 40% of your household’s total energy usage. Most of the year, you are either using your system to heat or cool your home. You need an air conditioning and heating unit that can do its job without draining your wallet.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has configured that a properly installed HVAC system can increase efficiency by up to 15%. At Winter Haven Air Conditioning, we help residents of Winter Haven, Lakeland, and Haines City evaluate how energy efficient their HVAC systems are. Your HVAC system’s energy efficiency can be compromised by the following:

Uninsulated or leaky ducts can result in a loss of up to 60% of your heated air. Therefore, you will run the HVAC system more often to get your desired temperature.Your energy usage will also increase if your AC unit is dirty or has an old filter inside it.

If your home is built before 1950, it can take up to 50% more energy to air condition your home than homes built post 1970.

Home Energy Audits

A professional home energy audit is the best way to learn how well your home uses energy. Winter Haven Air Conditioning offers professional home audits to our customers. We will send one of our friendly AC technicians to inspect your HVAC system and its insulation. The technician’s goal is to discover any potential problems that may be hindering your energy efficiency. Our technicians will recommend the proper repairs and maintenance needed to boost your HVAC system’s energy efficiency. Before our technicians make a visit, you should make a list of your efficiency concerns. This will help our technicians to better meet your needs and desires.

Energy Efficiency Improvements

After your energy audit is completed, our technician will discuss energy efficiency improvements. The technician will give you a thorough review of his or her results. Next, the technician will explain how certain areas of your home can be improved to help increase efficiency and energy savings in your home. Winter Haven Air Conditioning will be honored to take care of any installation, repairs, or maintenance tasks you will need to help improve your greatest energy efficiency losses. It is our goal to make sure your HVAC system works wonderfully and be energy efficient at the same time.Winter Haven Air Conditioning Your Go-To Company for Home

Efficiency Energy Savings

At Winter Haven Air Conditioning, we’re proud to help our neighbors in Winter Haven, Lakeland, and Haines City find ways to make their homes more energy efficient. It does not matter how old your home is or what HVAC system you have, we’re here to help you enjoy life with a lower utility bill.