Energy Efficient

HVAC Efficiency: 3 Reasons You May Want to Consider Replacing Your Old Windows

March 12, 2020 by Thomas Hoffmann Leave a Comment

A home that doesn’t heat or cool properly can be incredibly frustrating. Even worse, it is difficult to figure out what the problem is without the help of a local St. Louis HVAC specialist. What you might find after that professional investigates your home is that your windows are letting out too much air and bringing in too much heat. This scenario may motivate you to replace your old windows. We tell you the benefits of doing so in the following passages.

Lower Electricity Bills

One of the most significant issues that you run into when you have old windows is air escaping through them. What happens as a result is that your HVAC system needs to run longer to get the same heating or cooling result. This increased usage will lead to higher electricity bills.

Extend the Life of Your HVAC System

Higher electricity bills are a drawback that anyone can recognize. One that is less obvious is the toll that old windows take on your HVAC system. As we explained above, your machinery will have to work harder and longer to attain the same results. Doing so for many years could wear the system out earlier than expected.

Better Aesthetics

No matter who you are, you probably like your home to be somewhat clean and put together. This desire comes from the inherent appeal of a beautiful space. Old windows can get in the way of that by being dirty, broken, or unsightly in some other way.

Add Value to Your Home

No matter how much you love your home, you might sell it one day. When you do, you’d be shocked at what factors raise or lower the price of it. One of the ones that flies under the radar is the quality of your windows. Having modern looks and functionality will go a long way in raising the value of your home.

Peace and Quiet

Another benefit of functional windows is noise cancellation. Just like with air, ones that are old and dysfunctional let in all of the sounds surrounding your home. Updating your windows can help make your space much more peaceful.

Home Security

New windows often come with more versatility and better locks. The result is heightened home security. You can also pair your new windows with a security system for even better results.

High-Efficiency Replacements

One option you have when getting new windows is choosing high-efficiency models. Their primary function is increasing your home’s insulation through effective sealing and chemical coatings, which you will benefit from in both warm and cold weather.

You have three basic options when it comes to your old windows. You can leave them be, get them repaired, or replace them entirely. Each option has its benefits and costs, so it is usually best to get an expert’s opinion. If you end up choosing a replacement, you should lower your energy bills, extend the life of your HVAC system, have better home security, and attain all of the other benefits mentioned above.

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CALL (314) 471-7625

High Energy Costs: Is My Air Conditioner to Blame?

April 9, 2019 by Thomas Hoffmann Leave a Comment

Whether it is a malfunction or a lack of maintenance, your AC unit needs regular check-ups, especially when it’s running all day.

There’s nothing like a cool room to make summer more bearable. It’s clear that during summer, air conditioning is one of the most used appliances. However, sometimes it feels like a luxury when you look at the electricity bill.

If you are suddenly paying unreasonable amounts on the monthly electricity bill, one of the most common culprits might be the air conditioning system. Although you should expect it to add a little more to the bill, it shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Here is what to investigate when you suspect your air conditioning is costing you more than it should.

Is the Air Filter Dirty?

You might be surprised at how many people forget to replace or clean the air filter on the AC unit. Not only can this damage your health, it can put an unnecessary strain on your air conditioner. Because of dirt buildup on the air filter, the air does not flow properly, and the unit works harder than usual to do its job. Replace or clean the air filters at least once every two months and see if your next bill is back on track.

Do You See Any Leaks?

If you see wet stains around the unit or certain drippings that shouldn’t be there, give us a call right away. A faulty air conditioner is not only bad at cooling your house efficiently, but it can be bad for your health or even safety.

Leaks of the refrigerant solution will cause the air conditioner to put extra effort into cooling. Another type of leaks occurs in the duct system. A professional will be able to tell if that’s the case and seal the hole.

Is Your Air Conditioner Old?

If your air conditioner was purchased and installed a long time ago, then it may simply be outdated. A decade ago or more, air conditioning units were not as advanced as today, and that shows in their efficiency, and therefore in their energy consumption. Add to that all the years of hard work and you have your answer as to why the electricity bill is so high.

Has It Been a Long Time since a Professional Last Checked Your AC?

If cleaning the filters did not work and nothing else seems off, the best way to diagnose the problem is to call an HVAC professional and have it checked. You might be close to identifying a problem yourself, but a specialist will have the necessary tools and knowledge to pinpoint the issue and solve it. They may recommend a part replacement, repairs, a duct sealing, etc.

St. Louis Air Conditioning

Whether it is a malfunction or a lack of maintenance, your AC unit needs regular check-ups, especially when it’s supposed to run all day. Keeping it well maintained is cheaper than having it run improperly and pump up your electricity bill.

Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 471-7625

5 Reasons to Switch to Energy Efficient HVAC Technology

March 8, 2019 by Thomas Hoffmann Leave a Comment

Save money and utilize a variety of other advantages by choosing energy efficient HVAC!

If you’re in need of a need HVAC system, you’ve probably considered going with a green option. The trade-off in doing so is that the upfront cost is a bit more expensive than conventional counterparts. However, you can actually save money with a green system and also utilize a variety of other advantages. Here’s how.

st. louis couple happy over energy savings

Lower Bills

Perhaps the top benefit of switching is the fact that your energy bill will be lower. The reason is that green technology uses less electricity to do the same job as your old system. This increase in efficiency leads to you saving a bit of money.

Possible Tax Breaks

One thing the government does to subsidize green technology is offer tax breaks for its adoption. While it is not a guarantee, you might end up with a lower tax bill when choosing an environmentally friendly system.

Bans on Old Equipment

Unlike most of the other points on our list, this one might require you to make a change. The reason is that the government sometimes bans old equipment, the most common reason being the refrigerant that they use. If you have a system that is in danger of being made illegal, it is time to update.

Cleaner Air

Excess energy use might pollute your surroundings. You might think that your contribution is only a drop in the bucket, but so is everyone else’s. Rather than expecting someone else to keep your air pure, you can do your part with greener machinery.

Making the Switch is Not as Hard as You Think

What many do not realize is that going green often doesn’t take too much time, energy, or cost. Instead, there are a variety of green enhancements you can add to your existing system. The following are a few you can look into.

Smart Thermostat – This piece of machinery will let you adjust your thermostat from your smartphone. Having the ability to control it from anywhere and at any time allows you to avoid costly mistakes.
Zoned System – This type of system allows you to heat and cool specific areas, rather than the entire house at once. The result is you saving energy on a portion of your home that you aren’t occupying at that moment.
Economizer – Wouldn’t it be great if you could pull cold night air from outside and use it to cool your home? That is precisely what an economizer does for your home, and it helps your system expend less energy in the process.

As you can see, there are quite a few reasons why you might want to go green with your HVAC system. Even better, you can do so in a variety of ways. Not only are there low-cost enhancements you can add to your current system, but you can also explore larger switches like solar power, geothermal heat, ice-powered AC, and more. No matter what, the best way to go green is by talking to your local HVAC provider about what services they can carry out for you. Give Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning and Heating a call 24/7 at (314) 471-7625!

3 Mistakes that Can Raise Your HVAC Energy Bill

May 30, 2018 by Thomas Hoffmann Leave a Comment

If you are running your ceiling fan around the clock, even when no one is occupying the room, you are wasting energy.

When it comes to HVAC systems, there are a lot of ways people use their systems that they accept as the “right” way when, in fact, they are spending money needlessly.

The following are mistakes, or common misconceptions, many homeowners make when it comes to running their HVAC system that end up raising their energy bills.

Mistake One: Using a ceiling fan will cool down the room

If you are running your ceiling fan around the clock, even when no one is occupying the room, you are wasting energy. The truth is that a ceiling fan does not cool down the temperature of a room. They might appear to make you cooler, but that is due to something called the wind chill effect.

As a fan runs air, it works to evaporate the sweat from the surface of your skin. When sweat evaporates, it helps the temperature of your body decrease. So, the truth is that a fan does nothing to cool a room down. If no one is present in the room and your fan is not working to evaporate sweat, then the only work it is doing is running up your electric bill.

Mistake Two: A clean air filter is just about air quality

Yes, air filters that are clogged circulate allergens and fine particles in the air, which can lead to a decrease in your home’s air quality. But, it is important to change your air filters for another reason. When you have dirty air filters, it decreases the amount of air flow.

Poor air flow makes your HVAC system work harder and can lead to costly repairs and inefficiency of your unit. In turn, that can reduce the longevity of the unit itself. So, to make sure that you are getting the most from your HVAC system, be sure to change your air filters.

Mistake Three: You only need to call an HVAC technician when you need a repair

Unfortunately, searching the Internet about how to perform maintenance on your HVAC system does not make you a professional technician. If you are maintaining your own system, or not maintaining it at all instead of calling a professional for regular maintenance, you are taking a risk. A technician will know if your system is well oiled and working correctly.

Only a professional will know what to look for to ensure that nothing faulty will end up costing you a whole lot more than regularly having your system cleaned and checked.

Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating

These mistakes can have costly effects over time. The only way to know that everything is running as it should is to know the facts and call to have someone evaluate the way your system is working on a regular basis.

At Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating LLC, we know that keeping your home cool and comfortable in the summer months is very important. In the St. Louis area, air conditioning is a necessity. Having your cooling system regularly inspected and serviced is vital to your systems performance and reliability. Call us today at (314) 471-7625 to schedule a free estimate.

How to Cut Back on Cooling Costs This Summer

May 25, 2018 by Thomas Hoffmann Leave a Comment

There are a few ways to beat the heat and the cost of cooling things down during the hot summer months.

There is nothing better, as a homeowner, than being able to shut down your heating systems after a long, expensive winter and feel the reprieve of the warm spring air rushing into your home. As anyone who pays utility bills knows, however, that relief is very short lived in St. Louis.

If you are just about ready to turn your HVAC system from hot to cold, then you might be looking for ways to reduce your cooling costs throughout the summer months. There are a few ways to beat the heat and the cost of cooling things down during the summer months.

1. Replace your old air conditioner

Sometimes replacing an air conditioner is a hard pill to swallow. The good news is that gone are the days when you only had two options, either a window unit or a whole house air conditioner. Today there are many more to choose from.

If your air conditioner is not the right size, if you have renovated your house, or if your system it isn’t functioning well, it might be time to bite the bullet and replace it for a more energy efficient unit. The average yearly cost that you can save by upgrading to a more energy efficient air conditioner, according to Energy Star, is about $115.

2. Upgrade your control

If you have a thermostat that you have to tend to manually, either by changing the temperature of the room by hand or by programming it, then it might be time to join the rest of the technologically advanced world.

New smart thermostats can be controlled manually by using your smartphone or mobile device. If you know you are running late or will be out, turn the thermostat up so that it isn’t cooling down people who aren’t there without being in your home.

3. Exert your energy saving power with weather stripping

If you want to make sure that you can keep the cold air where it needs to be and the hot air outside, then weather stripping might be your new best friend.

Although most commonly thought of in the winter time when things are frigid, addressing leaking air from windows and doors around your home is essential year-round to keep your home comfortable and heating and cooling costs low.

4. Take a good look at your roof

One of the biggest places where hot air escapes is through your roof. If you want to make sure that you aren’t inadvertently heating the atmosphere, you will want to insulate your roof or consider replacing it altogether.

The cost of replacing your roof might be substantial, but, over time, you will end up saving money as your new roof does a better job of keeping your house insulated.

As the hot air rolls into the St. Louis metro area, it is important to keep your cooling costs low. Try these excellent energy efficiency tricks to cut costs and chill out this summer.

Can Wall Colors Really Affect the Efficiency of Your HVAC System?

February 19, 2018 by Thomas Hoffmann Leave a Comment

The color of your walls affects the absorption of heating and cooling in your house.

People choose the color of their walls for many different reasons. Sometimes they choose light colors to make a space look larger, or something bright to make it more “cheery.” But not many homeowners realize how color affects the efficiency of their HVAC system if planned for properly. The color of your walls affects the absorption of heating and cooling in your house, so being mindful of that when decorating is important – not just for aesthetic appeal, but also to keep your house comfortable all year long.

How Colors Affect Your Energy Costs

Dark colors absorb as much as 70-90% of the radiant energy in a room. The means that darker rooms will stay warmer for longer if you allow the sunshine in during the day. Lighter colors do not have the same effect if you leave the windows open and let the sunshine in. Light colors reflect heat, so if you want your bedroom to stay cozy on a winter’s night, then dark is the way to go. If you want it to be cool on a hot summer’s day, then the lighter the better.

It is All about Location

In rooms that are not exposed to direct sunlight or that are shaded heavily, radiant heat is not a factor. If there are few windows, then the color of the walls makes very little difference. But if it is a small space, dark colors will make it feel even smaller. If you want to make a room appear more grand, lighter colors will make it appear larger. Lighter colors are also more inviting and make people feel welcome. If you do have a lot of sunshine, then when you want to keep the room cool and you also opted for dark colors, just make sure to cover up the windows with blackout shades.

Mix and Match Colors

If you like the feel of a bright room but want to use radiant energy to your advantage, then consider using one wall – the one that is exposed to the sunshine – as an accent wall. This way you can have the engaging “welcoming” feeling of bright colors along with the heat absorption of the dark painted accent wall.

If You are Only about Light Colors

If you are into light colors and can’t be swayed by the energy advantages of dark ones, then you don’t have to be. Light colors allow you to use fewer manufactured lights because you don’t have to turn the lights on in the room until nighttime. You can’t do that with a dark room, so that is one factor that will save you in overall energy costs.

So before you get busy decorating, realize that the color of the room isn’t just about aesthetics. If you plan it right according to the space it provides and the direct sunshine that you have to build from, you just might choose the right color to increase your HVAC efficiency.