Friday, March 21, 2014

When It Comes To Your Heating and Air Conditioning Unit, You May Need To Spend More To Save More

The economic climate that we have experienced over the last few years has made it necessary for most Americans to carefully consider every dollar spent. We are energy conscious and we want to make the best purchase with our hard-earned dollars. When looking to replace your heating and air conditioning unit, it may be beneficial to consider the cost over the lifetime of the unit and not just the cost of the initial purchase. Heating and air conditioning equipment can vary widely in operating cost.  Do your homework!


(This unit had a cracked heat exchanger and the homeowner needed to replace the whole system)

If your current heating and air conditioning system is over ten years old like the one in the photo above, it may be time to consider an upgrade. Heating and air conditioning can account for up to 40% of your energy bill! Choosing the most efficient HVAC system can save you money for many years.


A growing trend in the HVAC world is dual fuel units.  A dual fuel system operates at optimum efficiency using two different types of fuel- electricity and gas. This really is the best of both worlds. While heat pumps do a nice job maintaining a comfortable temperature, they lose efficiency as the temperature drops because they run harder to keep the house warm. This is where the beauty of a dual fuel heating and air conditioning system comes into play. Once the outdoor temperature drops below 35 or 40 degrees, the unit switches from electricity to gas, optimizing the efficiency of both.


(After considering all options, the homeowner chose the highly efficient Trane XL14  Dual Fuel System)

Dual fuel systems can cost a bit more than the traditional one-fuel source units; however, the cost up front will be quickly returned with fuel and energy savings.