Your HVAC Independence Plan
Nearly two hundred and fifty years ago, the United States gained independence from the British Empire. It took dedication, hard work and tenacity.
But how independent are we in our own lives? Figuring it out requires close self-examination. Even the small aspects of our daily existence affect our independence. One aspect is our home environment, figuratively and literally.
In the literal sense, our home’s systems affect the freedom we experience. Here are some tweaks you can do to ensure your HVAC system helps boost your independence.
Independence from high utility bills
You’re unlikely to gain full independence from utility bills but you can be independent from the ones that keep you up at night. HVAC systems use a substantial percentage of energy so lowering consumption with the right upgrades will bring those bills down.
High efficiency furnaces, air conditioners, boilers and water heaters are designed to reduce energy use and bring you closer to independence. Using solar collectors for hot water can lower your bills even more.
Independence from indoor air pollution
Indoor air pollution is an invisible enemy that can make you sick and you won’t even know why. You can’t gain true independence with health problems, especially ones you can avoid.Keep indoor air pollution at bay with properly maintained exhaust fans, filters upgraded to high efficiency or an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) that boosts air quality with minimal impact to your heating and cooling bills.
Independence from allergies
Speaking of health, allergy symptoms can rob you of true independence by leaving you too miserable and sick to function.
Minimize your exposure to allergens in your home with proper furnace maintenance: replace filters (or upgrade them to HEPA filters), clean the fan and ductwork and install an air purifier. Proper ventilation combined with the right filtration and purification will bring you closer to allergy independence at home.
Independence from humidity issues
Achieving comfort at home is about more than just getting the temperature right. Your home must be at the right humidity as well, and not just for comfort. Humidity that is too high or low can cause problems with your home (damage to walls and structure) and your health (triggering allergies, making you more susceptible to colds, drying skin and mucus membranes).
When evaluating the health issues that your family has, and because of the dryness in Utah Valley, you may want to consider installing a humidifier, or air conditioner to control the moisture levels and keep you independent of humidity problems. If you need help achieving more independence in your HVAC life, give the Certified Comfort Experts at Western Heating & Air Conditioning at call at (801) 224-8899 or visit us online at www.WesternHeatingAir.com.
