We’ve all been there. A place that’s physically uncomfortable because it’s too warm, or too cold, or the air is stale and stifling. Sometimes that place is your home, but you can fix that!
What does a comfortable home look like? It looks like any other house on the block, but inside, the rooms are all within a couple of degrees of each other. None are cold or hot. The air quality is refreshing and clean.
Wouldn’t you like to live in a comfortable home? A comfortable home comes to be through Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning – commonly referred to has HVAC. By the way, did you know that your car has a better HVAC system than your house?
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Think about all the things your car HVAC system can do that your home cannot: control fan speed, dial in the right amount of heating or cooling, dehumidify, direct the air flow to where you want it, and bring in fresh air, or not.
Let’s talk about how you obtain comfortable home.
Think about your heating and cooling needs. Which rooms are hot? Which rooms are cold? Which rooms have South facing windows, where all heat gain comes from? Consider zoning your new HVAC system to match the demand for heating and cooling.
Consider the demands of your climate. Do you need dehumidification? How cold does it get in the winter?
Evaluate the condition of your attic. Well-insulated and air-sealed homes cost less to keep comfortable. If you have a leaky, poorly insulated house and put in a new system, you still have a leaky, poorly insulated house. Ideally, you pair a heat pump with insulation and new or sealed ducts.
What is your air quality like? Do you have pets? How about people with asthma living in or visiting your home? Do you live somewhere that experiences frequent fires and smoke? Ventilation and filtration can make a big difference in your quality of life.
What is the right size system for your home? You would be surprised at how many HVAC systems are incorrectly sized. Not only is an improperly sized system less energy efficient, it cuts the lifespan of the system radically, and you must therefore replace that system more often.
Work with a great contractor who will correctly size a new system for your home, add zoning where needed, add multi-stage equipment, and plan for your ventilation needs.
Learn to program your new smart thermostat to take advantage of Time-of-Use pricing. Pre-cooling your home when energy prices are lower helps prevent the system from turning on when prices are high.
Learn how to use your new Air Source Heat Pump system to maximize your comfort and the life of the system
*images courtesy of Nate Adams, The House Whisperer