March 20, 2022

Energy-efficient heating in NY is absolutely necessary to make yourself ready for any kind of unpredictable weather the state can throw at you. And this can be achieved with an energy-efficient HVAC! 

You might be asking yourself, “Is my HVAC energy-efficient?” Even before you can get it inspected by a professional, there are a bunch of ways you can check for yourself immediately.

Below, we compiled five easy ways you can check for energy efficiency in your Liverpool home’s HVAC system. Go through them carefully and if you spot something off, call a technician as soon as you can:

Check the age of your heater

The performing age for a HVAC system is around 15-20 years after initial installation. Every year that your HVAC isn’t properly maintained can make it decline in performance by around at least 5% every year. This can happen even with a great AFUE rating, so you have to be vigilant!

If you notice your HVAC underperforming at the 10-year mark, it might be best to replace it with a newer, better system. This might seem like sunk costs on your end, but it could save you even more money when your electricity bills roll along. 

Have a programmable thermostat

The great thing about having a programmable thermostat is that you can only achieve the optimum amount of heating for your property according to its needs. No need to waste more energy when you can program the best settings for your property! 

Speak with your HVAC supplier on the best heating setting that suits your property. This can vary depending on the weather, so make sure you take note of all the settings you need so you won’t have to worry when experiencing weather changes in your Liverpool home. 

Calculate the energy you need for heating

The same heating fuel can be used for a variety of things when looking at heating in a household. 

You can follow the example below to check how to calculate the right amount of energy for your heating:

A house uses 16,000 kWh for heating everything. This includes cooking, hot water, heating, appliances, and lighting. 

The residents in the house notice that it only uses 3,000 kWh when no heating is on for approximately 6 months. What does this mean? During the wintertime, the same amount is being used on other things except for the home’s central heating. 

Therefore, you can say that roughly 6,000 kWh is used on everything but heating. And the remaining 10,000 kWh? It’s just for heating alone! 

Check your energy bills

It’s normal for energy bills to fluctuate. Transitioning to a work from home set-up can up your electricity bill. Having kids or a new pet to take care of can also consume more power, especially if you’ve been buying more electronic devices to help you take care of them. You can also rely on outside factors like the weather to remain unpredictable. 

What’s an easy way to check your bill? Compare last month’s bill to the same month last year. Is it more or less the same? Did you see a significant increase? If you did, it’s probably time to get your unit checked or upgraded. 

Check your AFUE rating

Checking up on your Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is an easy way to determine how efficient your heater is. 

For new HVAC systems, you’ll want at least an AFUE of 78%. 80-90% is good enough, and the higher you get above 90, the better! For example, a HVAC system with 98% AFUE means that it uses that amount to heat up your home. Only 2% extra energy is lost during the process. This is good enough to work with if you’ll use heating often. 

Get in touch with us for your HVAC maintenance needs! 

Heating and cooling services in New York run efficiently with the right maintenance team. This is where Heat Wiser comes in! 

Whether you’re looking for installation or repair, you can rely on our experienced team to get your HVAC system performing at its best. Expect emergency services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year when you need them, too! 

Book an appointment with Heat Wiser!