Heating and cooling your home is the largest energy expense in a typical New Jersey home, accounting for approximately half of annual energy bills.
Replacing old heating equipment with more efficient models will save energy and money. If your furnace is more than 20 years old, it may be only 60% efficient. IF it is less than 10 years old, it is probably 80% efficient. The new equipment available today can be 90% efficient or more. Air conditioning has made similar improvements in efficiency.
However, your home's furnace or air conditioner is part of a larger system. In order to gain the benefits of a more efficient furnace or AC, it is important to properly maintain existing equipment, use a programmable thermostat, and seal leaks in the duct work.
Energy Savings
If you have an older, inefficient furnace, upgrading to high efficiency heating equipment can cut your heating costs by more than one-third. Today's air conditioners use 30% to 50% less energy than those made in the mid 1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a new, more efficient model. Using a programmable thermostat adds even more savings. Your energy costs will decrease 1% for every 1 degree you lower the thermostat.
Equipment
Natural gas furnaces are rated by an Average Feul Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). Investing a bit more in a 90% + AFUE furnace provides more energy savings. These high efficiency units are closed combustion, which eliminates any potential for carbon monoxide poisoning from the furnace.
Air Conditioners are rated by a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). An old AC unit might have a SEER rating of 6 or 7. There is a new federal standard of 13 SEER for air conditioners manufactured as of January 2006. A 15 SEER unit qualifies for a $300 federal tax credit.
A well designed, properly installed duct system will distribute air properly throughout your home to keep all the rooms at a comfortable temperature. [Many] homes often suffer from design flaws such as too few return air registers or duct work that is too long or has too many elbows.
Redpro Coder2
