Buying a new home represents more than finding a new place to live or building personal equity. It’s a symbol of freedom and beginning a new life. Of course, costs come with owning a home, and those costs extend beyond monthly mortgage payments. Heating and cooling a home present expenses, but the expenses don’t need to be excessive. However, many new homeowners may be surprised by how high their first HVAC bill is.
Don’t assume every bill will be excessive. There are steps you can take to cut them down. You could even reduce the first bill’s costs by performing specific actions as soon as you receive the keys. Here’s a look at several steps to take.
Install a Smart Thermostat
A traditional thermostat involves strictly using manual operation to increase or decrease the temperature setting. Such a thermostat could lead to keeping the temperature at a set number when you aren’t home. With a smart thermostat, presetting the temperature to run at 60 degrees during those winter days you are at work and then rising to 65 degrees when you come home could cut down on unnecessary expenses. Follow a similar strategy in the summer to cut down on costs.
A smart thermostat may work with an accompanying smartphone app. Accessing the app could allow you to change the temperature as needed from a remote location. The feature allows for better regulating the temperature based on personal requirements. That first monthly bill might be lower than it would otherwise be without such careful temperature monitoring.
Choose a “More Reasonable” Temperature
Does the interior temperature need to be 72 degrees in the winter and 60 degrees in the summer? Why not choose 65 degrees as a comfortable setting? Running the air conditioner or furnace excessively to reach an equally excessive temperature could mean higher bills. The harder you work the system, the more power becomes necessary to reach ultra-cool or ultra-warm thermostat settings. Choose a “workable” temperature that doesn’t drive up bills.
Inspecting and Cleaning the System
Requesting an inaugural cleaning and inspection falls under the “better sooner rather than later” strategy. Why put off work that you’re going to do anyway when getting it done as early as possible may cut down that first energy bill? A dirty system won’t likely operate efficiently. A thorough cleaning might be necessary. Also, the unit could use a new filter. A dirty filter also strains the system. If there any worn out parts, they might also strain performance and efficiency.
Again, anything that overworks the HVAC could run up monthly bills. Hiring a company that performs routine service requests could decrease the chances the HVAC works too hard. Signing up for an annual service plan makes sure someone looks at the system at least once a year.
First-time and long-time homeowners in the Amherst area can call Heatwave Heating & Cooling for service. We handle all heating and cooling needs, including HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance.
Look for Drafts
Maybe requesting an energy audit that seeks to uncover troubling drafts might be a good plan. Drafts are never the friend of anyone hoping to keep heating and cooling bills down. A two-fold problem may arise when a home is drafty. The hot or cold air produced by the HVAC system may escape, and the air outside might enter. The result here is an HVAC system that must compensate for exiting and entering air. The added work shows up on that inaugural HVAC bill.
Requesting a professional energy audit might also uncover other problems that aren’t so apparent. Cracked windows reflect obvious issues that undermine efficiency. However, mild warping underneath the door threshold might not be obvious to someone other than a qualified inspector. Performing the audit and making the necessary changes before moving in could eliminate unnecessary expenses and waste.
Get an HVAC System That’s the Right Size
Be sure to look at the HVAC system before moving into the home. Perhaps the system is old and outdated or the wrong size. A new owner can decide about installing a new system before taking up occupancy. An old system that doesn’t work efficiently or is too small for the home will drive up the first bill and probably all subsequent ones.
Now is the right time to call Heatwave Heating & Cooling in Amherst for home or commercial HVAC service. We’ll provide an estimate on your heating and cooling work without delay. Our team also assists with tankless water heaters and air purification requests. We look forward to assisting you with your home comfort needs.
