HVAC Resolutions for 2025: Improving Home Comfort
As a part of the new year, people often make resolutions to improve themselves, their lives, and their health. One place to focus on that will improve your quality of life, comfort, and save money is with your HVAC system. Ensuring your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system operates efficiently not only boosts your comfort but also reduces energy bills and your environmental impact. This article will go over 5 resolutions you can make to improve your HVAC system, and your home.
If you live on the Main Line, or in Havertown, PA or the surrounding areas, give us a call to help improve your home comfort. John Cipollone Inc. has been serving the community for generations, installing, repairing, and servicing HVAC systems in the area. You can call us at (610) 446-7877, or contact us online!
Scheduling Regular HVAC Service
It’s crucial to schedule regular HVAC service every year if you want to maintain your HVAC system properly. Just like you take your car to get serviced every so many miles, your HVAC system should also be serviced regularly to get the most out of it. We recommend service for your air conditioning system once before the summer, and service for your furnace once before winter. If you use a heat pump, it’s the same, once before each season.
Professional servicing includes inspecting, cleaning, and tuning up components of your heating and cooling systems. For your heating system, they will also ensure it’s running safely, with no gas leaks or problems with the pilot light. This cleaning and maintenance will:
- Improve energy efficiency
- Improve indoor air quality
- Lengthen the lifespan of your system
- Reduce breakdowns and repairs being needed
- Maintain your warranty
You should make it a regular practice to schedule HVAC maintenance appointments, at least once a year. If you go years without maintenance, it could mean an early end to your HVAC system, higher energy bills, and dirtier air.
Replace Your Air Filter Regularly
Replacing your air filter is easy to do, and something that should happen every few months. Air filters trap dust, pollen, and other airborne particles, improving indoor air quality and protecting your system from debris that could harm its components. If you go too long between filter replacements, it could clog up and lead to problems. It prevents airflow, makes your HVAC system work harder, and also hurts your indoor air quality.
We recommend buying a few filters and having them on hand, so you can change them whenever needed. The general recommendation is to replace filters every 1-3 months, but this can vary depending on factors such as filter type, how much you are using your HVAC system, and household conditions. For instance, homes with pets or allergy sufferers may require more frequent replacements.
If you don’t know how to change your filter, ask your HVAC technician during a routine maintenance. They will be able to show you how to take the old filter out, and swap it with a fresh replacement. You can also check out this video of how to switch an air filter out that we created a few years ago, to help our customers out.
Monitor Your Energy Consumption
Energy efficiency is more important than ever, and for a few reasons. Your energy consumption has a direct impact on your energy bills, and also on our environmental impact. Because of the technology and data we have today, there are ways to improve your energy efficiency, especially when it comes to your HVAC system.
Start by reviewing your energy bills for patterns or spikes that might indicate HVAC-related issues. Compare it to last year’s bills, and your energy efficient neighbors. PECO, the biggest energy provider in our area, offers these views and data. If you have a smart thermostat, it can also give you great insight into your energy consumption habits and ways to improve them. More on this in a bit.
If you notice your energy use is higher than it should be, it could mean there is an issue with your HVAC system. You may need to adjust your thermostat settings, seal air leaks, and ensure proper insulation. Monitoring your energy usage is a great way to keep an indirect eye on your HVAC system, and also make sure you aren’t spending too much on energy bills!
Seal Ductwork/Improve Insulation
Leaky ductwork and insufficient insulation are common reasons behind energy waste and uncomfortable spaces in your home. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that homes lose about 20-30% of conditioned air through leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts.
It can be tough to evaluate your insulation and ductwork on your own, especially if it’s something you don’t deal with often. We recommend bringing in a professional to do an energy assessment, and see if your ductwork or insulation need improvement.
If you are handy, you may be able to fix some of this on your own, using HVAC tape and sealant. You can also seal around your windows, add weather stripping to doors, and ensure there are no drafts around the house.
This improvement to ductwork and insulation may cost money, but it’s going to improve your home comfort, and reduce your energy consumption for years to come!
Consider Installing a Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats are becoming more and more popular due to how they improve comfort and energy efficiency. These devices allow you to control your HVAC system remotely, set schedules, and monitor energy usage through a smartphone or other connected devices.
These systems aim to improve energy efficiency, and comfort as well. They can detect inefficiencies and make the adjustments to prevent you from spending more than you should on your energy bills.
Smart thermostats also provide detailed energy reports, empowering you to make informed decisions about your HVAC system’s operation. Some of these thermostats are also compatible with other smart devices like Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple Homepod. Smart thermostats add a layer of convenience to the control of your HVAC system, and also save you money on energy bills!
Improving Home Comfort On The Main Line
We hope that some of these tips will help you improve your home comfort and save you a few dollars in 2025. If you have any questions or would like some help with your home comfort, give us a call at (610) 446-7877, or contact us online! Our experts would be happy to come help you out!
