If you’re shopping for a new air conditioner, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. But one factor you’ll want to pay special attention to is the SEER rating. The SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating is a metric that measures how much cooling a system puts out for each unit of energy it consumes. The more …
Before You Buy Know These HVAC System Terms: AFUE, SEER, and HSPF
What do all those acronyms mean and why does terminology matter when you’re thinking of making an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) purchase? The short answer is that these terms have a great deal to do with rating efficiency of the products — including air conditioners, furnace, and heat pumps — that are essential for home comfort.
9 Ways to Get Your Kansas City Home to Be Much More Energy Efficient
Whether you’re tired of paying over-inflated energy bills, or have resolved to become more environmentally responsible, it’s good to know the steps you can take to achieve a more energy-efficient home. Here are nine of them to get you started:
Your Energy-Efficient Home: When All Systems Are in Sync
Have you noticed that when your healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits are in sync, your body feels energized and efficient? Your home isn’t all that different. When all of its systems are up to date, properly maintained and working together, your home benefits from whole-house efficiency. Fall is a good time to perform an energy audit, and make the necessary …
It’s Charming, But Is Your Older Home Energy Efficient Too?
Older homes may be charming, but they are often much less energy efficient than newer homes. The good news is that you don’t have to choose between charm and efficiency. Here are some ways to tell if your older home is energy efficient, and what to do if it’s not.
Replacing Your Water Heater? Here’s What To Compare
If your water heater is more than 10 years old and showing signs of aging, such as needing frequent repairs or leaking, it’s probably time to buy a replacement. Since water heaters are the third largest energy expense in most homes, after heating and cooling, replacing your water heater with a newer, more efficient model will provide significant savings on …
How To Select An Energy-Efficient Furnace
Choosing an energy-efficient furnace for our region is a good choice, since our winters can be long and cold. A furnace with a high efficiency rating will cost more initially, but over time, the cost gradually will be recovered each time you use it. With measures of energy efficiency, the U.S. Department of Energy helps make it easier to separate …
Want To Perform Your Own Energy Audit? Use This Tool
If you’re concerned about heating your home this winter, take a little time and do an energy audit. The U.S. Department of Energy makes it easy for you to perform your own, by providing an online tool that shows how your home stacks up, compared to others in the area. By plugging in some specifics, the tool tells your rating on the …
Beware Of These HVAC Energy-Savings Myths
The Internet is full of helpful tips that claim to save you energy. Some are useful, and can cut your energy bill significantly. But some widely circulated tips, particularly about HVAC performance, are untrue, and can actually end up making you use more energy. Here are four common HVAC energy-savings myths, debunked:
Use This Yardstick To Perform Your Own Energy Evaluations
Because neither Kansas nor Missouri has deregulated energy, you don’t have the luxury of shopping around to find the lowest energy rates in your area. As such, you need to do everything you can to make sure your house is as energy efficient as possible. But how do you know if it is or not? Are you really saving money …