“Life hacks” are popular these days because most people are busy, overwhelmed and need shortcuts. Between work, taking care of kids, managing the house, getting enough sleep, exercise and healthy food, you need some relief. Fortunately, your HVAC system doesn’t need daily attention. It does, however, require maintenance and skipping or postponing these core items will cause more trouble than it’s worth.
Here are four HVAC shortcuts to avoid.
Not insulating ductwork
Having uninsulated ductwork can be acceptable for certain layouts or branches of ductwork. In most cases, however, the money you save on insulation will cost you in other ways. Your heating and cooling bills will go up due to the energy losses through that uninsulated ducting. You also run the risk of condensate forming on the duct during summer, leading to water damage and the cost of those repairs.
Skipping filter replacements
Putting off your filter replacement might seem like a way to save time and money. In the short term, you may be right. However, your family’s health and well-being will suffer, your own productivity will be affected and you will end up losing money anyway. How? Between sick days exacerbated by breathing in poor air and increased energy to run your furnace with a dirty filter, you’re better off taking the time and money to stay on top of regular filter replacements.
Leaving your thermostat at one temperature
“Set it and forget it” is a life hack that can apply to some aspects of your daily routine. Not so with your thermostat. You waste precious energy and money every time you walk out a house that’s toasty warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer. Fortunately, a programmable or smart thermostat can help with that so this is one upgrade that will allow you to (almost) ignore your thermostat.
Overheating and overcooling
If you’re dealing with cold or hot spots in your home, you may decide to simply turn up the heat in winter or drop the temperature in the summer. This shortcut avoids dealing with the source of the problem. It might be acceptable while you wait for a solution but it isn’t a solution itself. Save yourself the cost of wasted energy and an overworked HVAC system by having a professional assess and repair any issues causing cold and hot spots in your home.
If you need help staying on top of your HVAC system, give us a call!
