Pandemic-related inflation is an unfortunate reality, and heating costs are expected to rise dramatically this winter. According to a recent article in the New York Times, consumers already dealing with the fastest price increases in decades will soon experience another unwelcome uptick: a widely expected increase in winter heating bills.
As homeowners, we rely on a thermostat to keep our home’s temperature just the way we like it, and while adjusting the thermostat might save some money, almost everyone appreciates a warm, toasty home when it’s cold outside. In fact, there’s almost nothing more enjoyable than peering through a window at a snow-covered lawn from the comfort of a warm kitchen or living room. But as colder weather sets in and furnaces start to kick on, there’s an unfortunate price to pay (literally) for keeping inside temperatures cozy — and this winter, all signs say we’re in for some serious cost increases.
One of the biggest sources of energy consumption in your home is the HVAC system, and heating a home can be expensive – especially in colder climates. But there are ways to lower those monthly utility bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, families can cut their energy bill by as much as 20% to 30% simply by doing proper equipment maintenance, and air duct cleaning is one of those maintenance tasks that can help save money on energy bills!
Your heating and cooling system is the lungs of your home, circulating air through a series of air duct pathways throughout the home. Believe it or not, as your family goes through the seasons, all of those everyday activities you do both inside and outside of your home can contaminate the indoor air with unseen pollutants like dust, dander, pollen, mold, chemicals, and more. Over time, as that air recirculates over and over, contaminants continuously build up in the ductwork and other system components. Dirty HVAC systems – especially dirty coils – use up to 30% more energy to heat or cool the home! Even dirty air filters block airflow through the system, making it harder for your HVAC system to heat or cool your home to the desired temperature.
All that hard work for your HVAC system results in higher energy bills.
A clean HVAC system is more efficient and doesn’t use as much energy to maintain a comfortable temperature, ultimately saving you money on monthly utility costs. Replacing filters and servicing your furnace and air conditioning unit regularly can go a long way toward maintaining clean air ducts. However, filters can’t catch everything. Taking the extra step of having your home’s air ducts properly cleaned helps your HVAC system run more efficiently by removing debris from sensitive mechanical components. Plus, clean systems typically have a longer lifespan and operate more effectively than dirty systems, also leading to lower utility bills.
