Heating and Air Conditioning
Cut Your Summer Energy Bills With an Eco-Friendly HVAC System
 
by Roger Diez
 
Energy costs seem to be locked into an ever-increasing spiral. What can you, as an individual, do to control those costs? One of the major causes of high power consumption, even "brownouts" during the summer is the demand placed on the grid by air conditioning systems. But the new green technology mandate is coming to the rescue, with more energy efficient systems that can help save both money and the environment.
 
What is HVAC?
Quite simply, the term HVAC stands for "Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning," systems that are found in a large proportion of businesses and residences. They keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
 
OK, What is Eco-Friendly HVAC?
The "green" initiatives undertaken by government and many business sectors are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce any possible human-caused component of global warming. But an interesting side effect is that the reduction in power consumption also reduces the effect on your pocketbook. The HVAC industry has made great strides in recent years. Today's eco-friendly HVAC systems can produce an energy cost savings of 35 percent over the energy-efficient systems of just ten years ago. The use of radiant heating, solar powered fans, energy recovery ventilators (ERVs), and frictionless magnetic bearings for compressors are just a few of the technologies currently in use to reduce power consumption by HVAC units.
 
Additional Cost-Saving Steps
Even the most efficient air conditioning/heating unit needs some help in achieving peak efficiency. In order to realize maximum cost savings, you need to make sure your home doesn't leak out the cool air in summer or the warm air in winter. Seal cracks around doors and windows and any other openings such as pipes and cables. Change your HVAC filters regularly, and set the temperature to comfortable levels as high as possible in summer and as low as possible in winter. Remember, you are a significant component in your eco-friendly HVAC system.

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