Heating and Air Maintenance For a More Environmentally Friendly Home

Making sure that your heating and air conditioning system is eco-friendly has lots of benefits. First of all, you're doing a nice thing for the earth. We cause lots of pollution and stress for the environment in our efforts to stay comfortable inside during the winter and summer months. The electricity used to do this causes a major burden to the natural environment.

Another huge bonus in keeping things running well is that it saves you money. When your heating and air conditioning is clogged, dirty, broken or in disrepair, it has to work harder to give you the same results. When it works harder, this means that you pay harder, and you'll see your utility bills soaring in no time. This is a trend that's taking both residents and businesses by storm as they realize they can both economize and do a nice thing for the earth by looking into "green" maintenance solutions. Here are a few easy ideas.

Check Your Air Filters

One of the easiest things that you can do by yourself to ensure that your heating and air conditioning is environmentally friendly is to check your filters. These small parts make a huge difference in how efficiently your system is running. When there is dirt or some other type of pollutant clogging these filters, it has to work harder to keep your home cool or warm. You should clean them regularly and replace when necessary. They can be bought cheaply at your local hardware store and you can put them in yourself. This will also improve the quality of what you're breathing in.

Check Thermostats

Many central heating and air conditioning systems have problems with thermostats over time. When your thermostat is not giving you an accurate reading, this may mean that you're using more energy than you realize. HVAC pros can check your thermostats for you and this should be done around twice a year. If your system is old, it might be a good idea to upgrade. There are lots of new thermostat technologies these days that are more effective and durable than the thermostats of yesterday.

Buy Green Products

When choosing heating and air appliances, look for those that have a rating with one of the many eco-friendly rating systems. These systems include SEER and Energy Star. They offer a kind of "seal of approval" that tells you that this device or system meets certain standards of being environmentally friendly. Because this is becoming more of a concern to homeowners and businesses, many HVAC contractors are now dealing exclusively in products that are rated highly by these green organizations.

Cultivate a Green Mindset

No matter what you buy or do, there is one thing that's the foundation of everything else, and that's to have a "green" mindset. By simply thinking before you turn on your heating or air conditioning unit, you can often prevent yourself from running it unnecessarily. For example, leave it off at night. In the winter, use more blankets. In the summer, open the windows and turn on a fan. Just getting in the habit of thinking about conservation on a daily basis can really help cut down on your energy usage.