ARTICLES

The investments you make into your living environment should work for you, and an important component is your home’s energy efficiency. Predictable energy bills are not only beneficial for your wallet, but ensure your residential systems are working optimally, as intended.

Finishing or remodeling your basement is a great way to boost your home’s usable square footage and value. If you’ve decided to remodel, you’ve probably already thought about how you’ll use your updated basement, be it for a home office, theater room or extra bedroom. As with any remodel, decision-making goes beyond just functionality. The extra livable space you’ll gain in your basement also means additional square footage to decorate, maintain and condition. With all the decisions you need to make, choosing your heating and air-conditioning solution should be an easy one.  

If you’re considering an all-electric home, you’re likely motivated in part by environmental concerns. You want to reduce your carbon footprint through electrification and help mitigate climate change, especially as the grid gets greener.

Now, more than ever, we’re looking to improve our energy efficiency. Americans are paying more attention to our carbon footprints and we also want to mitigate the skyrocketing costs of home heating and air conditioning. Homeowners with conventional, forced-air systems may find them expensive and difficult to upgrade. Even after making improvements, homeowners are stuck with hot and cold spots throughout the house. Also, compared to modern variable-capacity heat pumps, these conventional systems aren’t energy efficient.

According to the United States Department of Energy, adding winter insulation to an under-insulated older home, or even a new home, can make the house more comfortable and reduce energy bills so dramatically that the insulation pays for itself in a few years. Floors above unheated garages, foundations, ducts and basements are all good candidates for insulation.

You’ve done your homework and you’re sold on the benefits of a Mitsubishi Electric ductless solution compared to traditional heating and air conditioning options. The next step – finding a reputable HVAC contractor – is the place where many homeowners hesitate. How can you be sure a contractor is familiar with the technology and will provide a satisfactory result? If you’ve spent any time renovating, you can understand the apprehension behind this question. It is important to find the right contractor to make certain you have a professional installation.

Home cooling and heating systems can be damaged badly by floods, leaving you and your family susceptible to serious hazards. Electrical cables can become compromised, fans and internal components can be susceptible to corrosion, and there is potential for the refrigerant lines to be breached. You can take precautions to protect your furnace, heat pumps and air conditioner from the ravages of water damage before flooding occurs.  

Furnaces and boilers are the primary heating source of most homes in America. Both boilers and furnaces are rated by their annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE, which measures the percentage of fuel that is wasted through their normal operation. Old, low-efficiency systems can squander nearly half of their fuel. New, high-efficiency systems utilize more than 98 percent of their fuel.

  ELECTRIC HEAT COMPARISON: TOO HOT, TOO COLD OR JUST RIGHT? HVAC aficionados aside, most of us aren’t too concerned, or thrilled, with our furnace’s inner workings—at least until something goes wrong, when that mysterious ka-thunk in the basement could transform a perfectly relaxing evening into a one-way conversation with a blower fan. 

Hot weather is not only uncomfortable, it’s bad for your health. Fortunately, you can maximize comfort and save on cooling costs during even the hottest weather by developing wise habits. Start with these nine tips to keep cool:       1. Clean Your Cooling System Before the hot weather starts, you should make sure your cooling system is clean and well-maintained. A professional should inspect it every year. If the system is over 15 years old, you might consider replacing it with a newer model, preferably one with an ENERGY STAR rating.