Yesterday was the first day of spring, so if you can’t feel it already, warmer temperatures are on their way to Orange County. When you envision the warm days of summer, do you picture staying cool with an energy efficient cooling system, without any worries about high energy costs? Or are you concerned that your older air conditioning unit won’t make it through another hot summer? Well right now is the perfect time for an air conditioning installation, not only because Saddleback Plumbing can save you money on your purchase, but because there have been so many upgrades to the technologies of cooling systems.
Before you take the plunge on new equipment, though, you may want to get a home energy audit. What you find may help you choose the right system.
A home energy audit is essentially an inspection by a professional of the materials used to insulate your home. This includes not just the insulation in the walls, but also the walls themselves, along with windows, doors and so on. The idea is to figure out how much heat is escaping your home to the outside, so an audit may also include looking at ducts, vents or anywhere else where air could flow through.
So what does an energy audit have to do with a heating upgrade?
Think about it like this. There are two ways to make your home warmer: increase heat gain (e.g., get a more efficient heating system) or decrease heat loss. If you are able to do the latter, you may find that the former is unnecessary.
For example, you may get an energy audit and discover that by installing new windows and resealing your doors, you can increase heating efficiency by 10%. This could have big implications for your decision to get a new heating system, as you may decide that you can save money by getting a smaller capacity furnace. Getting the right size furnace is very important; one that is too small will not be able to heat your home to the desired temperature and one that is too large will short-cycle, which leads to uneven heating and wears down your system quickly.
A home energy audit is the first step to getting a new heating system, and one that is sure to save you money. Give Saddleback Plumbing a call to set up an energy audit today!