5 Things To Know Before Buying A New HVAC System

One of the most important decisions you will need to make is getting the right HVAC system that matches your home’s heating and cooling needs.

If you have a larger system than you need, it will consume more energy. If you have too small of a heating and cooling system, your system will need to run more often to try to keep up with demand. This places more wear and tear on the unit as it struggles to maintain a consistent temperature.

Either way, the wrong size unit will cost you money.

2. Check Energy Efficiency

Today’s HVAC heating and cooling systems are significantly more energy-efficient than older ones. That’s good news for you as they’ll likely decrease your utility bills while providing a warm home in the winter and a cool home in the summer.

When considering which HVAC system is right for your needs, you will want to compare energy-efficiency. You’ll want to check the ENERGY STAR® and EnergyGuide label info on systems for:

• Seasonal Energy Efficient Rating (SEER): SEER measures the amount of energy used over time by your cooling system.
• Heating Season Performance Measure (HSPF): HSPF is a similar measure of efficiency for heating over time.
• Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE): AFUE also measures the efficiency of a heating system on an annual basis.
• Coefficient of Performance (COP): COP measures the efficiency of a heat pump.
• Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER): EER ratings are more typically found on smaller units or windows AC units, but also measure efficiency.

With each of these measurements, the higher the number, the more efficiently the HVAC system will be able to heat and cool your home.

3. Compare Pricing

Pricing for HVAC systems can vary greatly and so does the quality. It may be tempting to make your decision based on the lowest-priced HVAC system, but that can cost more in the end. Lower-priced models may be less efficient in how they heat and cool your home resulting in higher energy bills.

You may save a bit up front, but you’ll pay extra for it every month for the lifetime of the HVAC system. If it breaks down or needs regular repairs, the total cost of ownership will likely be higher than buying a slightly more expensive system that is more robust and energy-efficient.

4. Check into Programmable Thermostats

Programmable thermostats let you set specific times and temperatures for your HVAC to run. If you like it cooler at night when you’re sleeping and warmer during the day when you’re at work in the cooling season, it can happen automatically. Simply set it and forget it.

Automated systems can save you money on your energy bill.

Many of today’s programmable thermostats can be controlled through Wi-Fi, letting you make adjustments as need from your smartphone – even when you’re not at home. Some thermostats can learn your habits and optimize your heating and cooling for peak efficiency. Programmable thermostats can often reduce cooling costs by as much as 20%.

5. Plan Maintenance

No matter what HVAC system you choose, remember that routine maintenance is needed to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently. Regular filter changes are needed as well as periodic checkups.

You may want to consider investing in an annual maintenance plan with your HVAC company. Many consumers choose to do fall and spring tune-ups to detect problems and ensure their systems are working optimally before it gets really hot or cold. It’s much better to find out there’s a problem before you get into peak season when a failure becomes a more serious issue.