Revised:
September 23rd, 2022
Suffer from high energy bills? Could your HVAC system be the cause? In this video, we’ll go over high utility bills and some tips on how to lower them.
Hi, I’m Bryan with Fire & Ice. As a residential HVAC sales professional, I work with Central Ohio homeowners to find custom solutions to solve their comfort concerns. One of the more common concerns doesn’t necessarily impact our feelings but our pockets. Rising energy costs and lower efficiency are common issues many homeowners ask us about. In this video, we’ll go over the reasons behind higher energy bills and some solutions to help lower your utility bills. By the end of this video, you’ll have a better idea of how to lower your energy bill.
What can cause higher energy bills in your home?
When it comes to higher energy bills, there are a few potential causes. When it comes to your HVAC system, one of the biggest reasons behind sudden higher energy bills is an issue with the system itself. The list can be long, but leaking refrigerants, broken gas valves, or worn-out capacitors are all potential culprits for high energy bills.
The age of your HVAC system also has a lot to do with it. For example, an old air conditioner with a worn condenser and inefficient compressor can result in higher energy bills. And a furnace with an old ailing blower motor drawing significantly more power than before.
The fourth reason is how heat enters and exits your home throughout the year. If your home has a lot of leaky windows or lacks insulation in the walls, your HVAC system will likely need to work harder and use more energy to keep heat and cool your home. Also, keeping your home very cold or very hot will naturally increase your energy bills throughout the year.
This brings me to my last point, supply and demand. It’s out of everyone’s control, but energy prices go up and down based on the need for heating and cooling. It’s much more noticeable during the throws of summer and in the dead of winter. Historically, natural gas prices have been more affordable for heating your home when compared to heating with electricity. However, prices have been known to spike as they did in the 1970s, jumping from $1.09 per thousand cubic feet to just under $3.00 in 10 years which necessitated a switch to electric HVAC systems in new homes built at that time.
Top Ways to Lower Your Utility Bills
Alright, we’ve gone over some reasons behind high utility bills; now, let’s review some ways to lower them.
Let’s start with the things you can do right now. Did you know that making minor adjustments to your thermostat can save you money in the long run? For example, increasing your thermostat by a few degrees in the summer and lowering it a few degrees in the winter can save you a lot. Couple that with making other adjustments to other electric systems in your house, like your refrigerator, which can help out as well.
Another thing to consider is to seal any leaky windows or door jams to prevent the conditioned air from escaping your home. Patching leaky ductwork can also have a significant effect. Remember, your thermostat kicks on when it senses the indoor temperature has gone beyond the set point. And if all that conditioned air is immediately leaving the home, your HVAC system is likely running longer to compensate.
The next few solutions will require some investment but can pay dividends in energy cost savings down the road. The relative humidity inside your home has a lot to do with the temperature we feel. It’s been said that every 5% relative humidity equals one-degree temperature. So, if we could increase the relative humidity in the winter when it’s the driest with a whole home humidifier, we won’t need to run the expensive furnace as often. Conversely, removing excess humidity in the summer with a whole home dehumidifier can also have drastic effects.
The final solution is to invest in higher efficiency equipment or variable speed technology. HVAC systems are becoming more and more efficient every single year. Between variable speed compressors, modulating gas valves, and communicating technology that can give you on-demand heating and cooling, several HVAC solutions have been shown to offer impressive efficiencies and potential cost savings.
What are the next steps?
By now, I hope you have a better understanding of how to lower your heating and cooling energy bill in your home. If you feel one of the solutions we just discussed is right for you, click the free estimate at the top of the screen. We’d be happy to sit down with you and discuss your options. Thank you for watching, and we look forward to making your day better.
