We adore older homes, with their ornate architecture and vintage features. What we don’t love is how inefficient they can be when it comes to energy use. If your utility bills are high but your home is never the temperature you want, it’s time to make some energy-efficient HVAC upgrades.
Learn more about the best ways to improve your old home’s energy use below!
High-Efficiency HVAC Systems
Outdated HVAC systems are inefficient and expensive. They increase your utility bills and use excessive energy despite delivering poor performance. A new system can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year by lowering your utility bills.
You have a few options when selecting a system:
Ductless Mini Split: These systems are wonderful because they allow you to control the temperature of each room in your home. You can leave the systems off in rooms you aren’t using to save energy and money.
Heat Pump: Heat pumps are another efficient option because they transfer more heat than they generate. So, rather than using a lot of energy to create heat to warm your home, they simply capture existing heat and move it into your home.
High-Efficiency Furnaces: These can work with your existing ductwork, meaning fewer renovations and installation expenses. They’re more energy-efficient than old furnaces but can still use more energy than the abovementioned options.
When shopping for high-efficiency HVAC systems, it’s hard to know just how efficient each one is. Many have efficiency ratings you can compare. Look for these efficiency ratings:
- SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)
- AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency)
- COP (Coefficient of Performance)
- HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor)
- EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio)
- BTU (British Thermal Unit)
Above all, you want to select an ENERGY STAR-certified model.
If you choose the right energy-efficient HVAC system for your home, you can save money, save energy, enjoy a more comfortable space, and help the planet.
Smart Thermostats
Installing smart thermostats gives you more control over your HVAC system, so you can better monitor the temperature and energy use. Modern thermostats can also manage your energy use and your home’s temperature without your help.
They can track heating and cooling patterns to optimize the schedule so you’re always comfortable while using as little energy as possible. The most advanced ones even use artificial intelligence to track your heating and cooling habits and implement them for you!
Sealing and Insulation
Older homes usually have outdated sealing and insulation, allowing hot air to flow in and out of your home easily. This means your HVAC system may have to work harder to pump hot air into your home, only to leak out through poorly sealed areas and the walls. The same goes for cool air. The last thing you want during a Minnesota winter is frigid air creeping into your house.
Resealing your ducts is a brilliant way to ensure more hot and cool air enters your home. A surprising amount of air can escape from your home as it travels through the ductwork, especially if your ducts were installed decades ago. Replacing old ductwork is ideal, but resealing old ducts can also improve energy efficiency.
Insulation helps trap the cold or hot air you want inside your home while keeping unwanted air out. Make sure your entire home is insulated with high-quality, modern insulation, such as fiberglass batts, spray foam, or rigid foam boards. Pay special attention to insulating your attic, but you should insulate all the walls in your home.
New Windows and Doors
New windows and doors help your home keep air in. Old doors may have small spaces at the bottom or top that allow air to sneak out, forcing your HVAC system to work harder. Windows made with old, thin glass also give air an opportunity to escape.
You can enhance your old doors with sealant, but replacing them with modern ones is more effective. Old windows typically need to be completely replaced to improve your home’s energy efficiency. The more panes, the better, so get double or triple-pane windows to better insulate your home.
Fresh Air Filters and Clean Vents
Lastly, and most simply, you can replace the air filters in your current HVAC system and clean your vents. Older homes’ vents may have a buildup of dirt, dust, debris, and grime, making it more difficult for air to flow through efficiently. And dirty air filters slow down your HVAC system, so it has to use more energy to keep your home comfortable.
These HVAC upgrades are among the easiest and most affordable, so they’re a great place to start if you’re not ready for a new system or substantial renovations.
New HVAC, Classic Style
We can keep your beautiful home’s features intact while making it more energy-efficient.
If you’re ready for lower utility bills and a cozier home, call us! We’re the HVAC experts and can help you heat or cool your home perfectly while using less energy.
