Fresh-Air Flow: All About HVAC Systems

Flow FRESH-AIR HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING YOU TO BREATHE COMFORTABLY? Did you know that making upgrades to your HVAC system can save you up to $500 per year? Use these home-improvement tips to save money HVAC: . heating, ventilation, . and air conditioning on your HVAC bills. HVAC COMPONENTS These integrated systems control the temperature and air flow throughout a given home or business. The heat in an HVAC system Unlike the furnace, the is supplied by a natural gas or air-conditioning unit is placed oil-fired furnace. The furnace outside the home and runs on unit contains a heat electricity. It uses a exchanger-responsible for the actual warming of the air. compressor and coolant to remove the heat from air. The "brain" of an HVAC Ventilation ductwork moves system: Thermostats turn the system on and off and can be operated manually or set to a predetermined temperature. 71° heated and cooled air evenly throughout the interior of the home. AVERAGE LIFESPAN FOR HVAC SYSTEMS PROPERLY MAINTAINED HVAC SYSTEMS 10 LAST 10-15 YEARS ON AVERAGE. The top two causes of premature system failure are: Improper installation 15 Improper maintenance COST FACTORS Invoice The cost of an HVAC system depends on its quality, the area of the country in which it's being built, and the kind of fuel the system will be using. COMMERCIAL Expect to spend at least $15,000 for the smallest units, not including installation and maintenance. RESIDENTIAL Electric For a 1,000-square-foot home, the cost of a full HVAC system can range from $6,000 to $12,000. For larger homes and more complex setups, expect the cost to be even higher. Oil Gas THE INITIAL COST OF A HVÁC SYSTEM IS NOT THE COMPLETE COST OF THE SYSTEM. YOU MUST ALSO CONSIDER: Maintenance costs, 2 monthly utility bills, 3 and efficiency ratings. EFFICIENCY AUTO AWAY A programmable thermostat Replacing your old HVAC system with ENERGY STAR-qualified equipment can cut your annual Sealing and insulating ducts can improve your HVAC system's efficiency by 20%, can save you about $180 every year in energy costs. utility bills by up to $400. and sometimes much more. TIPS FOR OPTIMIZING YOUR HVAC SYSTEM WINDOWS: INSULATION: SEALING: A heating and cooling loss of up to 12% occurs around windows Replacing single-pane windows Increasing insulation thickness can save $95-$145 per year for every 1,200 square feet of ceiling area. with ENERGY STAR windows and doors. Proper weather- stripping can prevent this loss. can save $126-$465 a year. REBATES & TAX DEDUCTIONS Many utility companies offer hundreds of dollars in rebates and/or extremely attractive financing offers and loans to homeowners who purchase high-efficiency HVAC systems. E Why? Reduce monthly energy consumption V Fewer Greenhouse Gases released V Less dependence on foreign energy Through 2013, the Feds allow a suite of energy tax credits for heating and cooling systems and related energy-efficiency improvements. MAINTENANCE In any system's life cycle, there comes a point where you need to decide whether it's fiscally and practically feasible to continue maintaining and repairing an aging, degrading piece of equipment. KEEPING AIR FILTERS MANUFACTURERS CLEAN CAN LOWER RECOMMEND THAT YOUR HVAC UNIT'S YOUR HVAC SYSTEM ELECTRICITY USE BY BE MAINTAINED CHANGE FILLU 5-15%. CHANGE NO LESS THAN YOUR FILTER EVERY TWICE A YEAR. 60-90 DAYS. Ideally, the ratio of spending for HVAC systems should be: When all factors are included, costs can be as 70% 30% much as 50 percent 50% 70 percent preventive maintenance lower than the costs for those who continue to maintain equipment reactively. 30 percent corrective maintenance. Flaunt your HVAC knowledge. Visit www.lineshapespace.com SOURCES: http://www.costowl.com/home-improvement/hvac-system.html http://www.ehow.com/about_5782851_average-cost-hvac-system.html :HVAC Installation Facts I eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5653584_hvac-installation.html#ixzz2LN5b5fCV http://www.costowl.com/home-improvement/hvac-system.html http://mpappliancerepair.com/HVAC_Repair_Rate_Price.html http://www.tcomfort.com/hvac/education/warranties http://energyworksnow.com/homeowners/benefits/how-much-you-can-save/ http://www.buildings.com/article-details/articleid/3183/ti- tle/preventive%20hvac%20maintenance%20is%20a%20good%20investment.aspx http://www.fixr.com/costs/central-air-conditioner-installation http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/tax-credits/tax-cred- its-replacing-heating-and-cooling-systems/#ixzz2LNCnKsBc http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_savemoney http://www.ehow.com/about_7269442_much-can-save-insulating-attic_html http://www.blackhillsenergy.com/customers/savings/tips/ http://www.sparkenergy.com/blog/saving-money-by-keeping-your-ac-filters-clean/ http://www.serviceexperts.com/Sams-Blog/July_2010/How_Often_Should__Change_HVAC_Air_Filters.aspx LINE/SHAPE/SPACE A AUTODESK.