The home heating system is one of the most important components of your home. It plays a huge factor in the overall convenience and comfort of your property. Therefore, it is wise to invest in it and maintain it properly. Proper and regular cleaning and replacement of your filters are affordable actions that don’t require a lot of time and energy. However, what is the best option when your heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) breaks? Should you repair it or invest in it? How should you combine efficiency and cost-effectiveness? Learn how to spend your money on the home heating system and which aspects of HVAC affect your bank account so you don’t get into too much debt.
Financially Maintaining Your Home Heating System
Heat is often a problem in the many households. Early, chilly mornings are calling you to turn up the thermostat as always, but then nothing happens. No sounds of your home heating system turning on and no heat flowing through the vents and radiators is a sign that something is wrong with your HVAC. Majority of times it will be a simple problem that is easy to repair. However, other times your home heating system can end up having a significant complication. At this point, the usual question comes to our minds. From a financial aspect, is it better to repair or replace the entire home heating system?
How severe is the problem?
First, consider how serious the problem is and weigh if it can wait for a couple of days. If it represents a threat to your safety, then there should be no dilemma; replacement is the way to go. For instance, carbon monoxide can swamp your home if the heat exchanger is damaged. This is a huge risk for your family, and it can be fatal. Other times, you might just experience an issue with the electronics system or vaults. In that case, you have to analyze whether or not you should replace the entire thing.
How long have you had your heating system?
To make the right decision, you have to consider the lifespan of a home heating system. Typical furnaces last from 15 to 20 years while boilers and baseboards average from 10 to 20 years. You can find out the date of installation by looking for a metal plate on the appliance, most often placed on the chamber door. Once you know the serial numbers, contact the manufacturer to find out the exact date of production. However, don’t follow age blindly. Age can be your guideline and a factor in making a decision, but you don’t have to throw boilers and home heating systems away if they are two years older than a typical lifespan.
Compare the costs
To make a final decision and help with debts, you need to have an informative talk with your service provider. They can give you the exact costs of brand new HVAC’s. Price will depend on various factors; the size of your home, brand of new HVAC you opt for, placement of the unit and so on. For instance, a new furnace costs on average from $1,300 to $4,500 while boilers range from $4000 to $8200. Therefore, it might be a waste of money to invest in repairing a 17 years old furnace for $850 if a new one costs about $2000.
Think About Efficiency
Lately, people are starting to consider the rapid growth of fuel prices and rising concern over the environment and our carbon footprint. This is closely related to the efficiency of your HVAC system. Here are some aspects that you need to consider that can affect your financial input related to the home heating system.
Environmental efficiency
Environmentally efficient heating systems always use renewable, green sources of energy. One of the most eco-friendly systems is solar heating systems since their only power source is the energy collected from the sun. Solar systems use other sources of energy only during the period with very little sunshine. Geothermal systems are also highly environmentally acceptable considering they use the heat inside the earth to heat the property. Electricity systems are the least efficient. They need to burn big amounts of fuel, and the majority of energy is lost. An eco-friendly system represents a significant initial investment, but from the long-term perspective, they turn out to be affordable.
Conversion efficiency
The term conversion efficiency is related to how efficiently the heating system uses energy to convert it to heat. Once again, solar and geothermal system are winners. The heat is collected and automatically transported throughout the home. A conventional source of wood oil or gas have to transform fuel into heat. In this process, a significant amount of heat will be lost in the system which causes higher utility bills and less efficient heating.
Distribution efficiency
Selecting a type of heating system will, for sure, be the most prominent aspect of how much money will you have to spend to maintain it. However, selecting a way the heat will be distributed throughout your property also has a significant impact. One of the most effective systems (according to distribution) is the radiant floor heating since it covers the entire home. Forced air systems can also do good in combination with a smart thermostat. They warm up space fast and can effectively maintain the temperature. Radiators are the least effective when it comes to distribution since they are slow and heat only in the limited area around the actual unit.
Easy Tips for Saving Money on Heating
When living on a budget, heating can be one of the most effective things to save money on. Here are some debt relief tips on how you can maximize the efficiency of heating and prevent overconsumption of energy.
- Master the thermostat
A simple trick is to turn down the thermostat when you don’t need your home to be fully warm. For instance, when you know you are going to be out, turn down the thermostat by 3 degrees or completely turn it off. Also, if you are working in your living room then you don’t need to heat your bedroom the entire time. - Pay attention to the heating vents
By keeping the heating vents clear, you are allowing proper heat distribution throughout the house. Homeowners sometimes don’t realize this, so they put a piece of furniture on top of vents to make it more appealing. Remove blockages and the air will circulate more efficiently which will result in less need for constant heating. - Protect the windows
Caulk around windows will wear off over time, so you should apply a new layer. Once the caulk is cracked, the outside air will be able to go inside the property. In other words, warm air will simply slip through the cracks. Caulk is easy to apply. - Insulation
Attic insulation can significantly affect your heating bills. Just as it is with windows, in uninsulated attic heat can just slip through the roof or ceilings. Insulation is not a difficult task and you can do it either on your own or contact a professional. - Let the sun in
Although there is not much sun during cold temperature, sun rays can still add some heat to your home. Therefore, open up those covers! Sunshine is free, so it is wise to take advantage of it. Eliminate any blockage such as tree branches that might prevent sun rays from coming in
These tips for eliminating debt are simple and give you the opportunity to take over control of your heating. By following them, you won’t compromise the convenience inside your home, and you’ll still experience the benefits!
Considering all of these aspects will significantly help you in the distribution of your finances for HVAC. Think ahead and educate yourself on the multiple factors of heating system to avoid spending money on expensive repairs and replacements.
Author bio: Matt James is a writer and editor working for local contractors, specialized in home improvement, smart technology, architecture & design. Interests: writing, traveling, home design, interior home design, exterior home design, dogs. Find him on Facebook or Instagram.
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