Floridians enjoy relatively mild winters. Still, it gets cold enough to need home heating from November through February and sometimes longer. During those months, your heating bills can be significant, whether you have a heat pump, furnace, or both. Let’s explore the strategies you can employ to reduce your energy bills and your household’s carbon footprint.
Schedule a Fall Heating Tune-up
Schedule annual maintenance in the fall before you need to heat your home. This service will include a multipoint inspection, comprehensive cleaning, and correction of any normal wear and tear. It can make a significant difference in how much energy your system uses.
Many Florida homes have heat pumps with coils that accumulate grime over time. That grime serves as an insulator and makes the exchange of heat energy less efficient. Even if you have a furnace, it can build up debris that makes the combustion or coil heating much less efficient.
Schedule Duct Inspections and Maintenance
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) recommends scheduling a duct camera inspection every several years. Most Florida homes will need professional duct cleaning every three to five years to remove accumulated dust. Another issue with central heating is that ducts can become leaky as they age. That undermines efficiency, comfort, and air quality. Solutions include duct sealing and other duct repairs. An HVAC technician can also perform air balancing to ensure temperature and humidity are even throughout the home.
Practice Good HVAC Filter Habits
The HVAC industry gauges filter performance using the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV). The higher the MERV rating, the better the filtration. Most modern heat pumps and furnaces support a MERV rating between 8 and 13. Don’t use a higher MERV rating than supported because it will undermine efficiency through elevated static air pressure. Likewise, it’s important to check the filter each month and swap it out before it clogs.
Target a Modest Wintertime Temperature
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recommends 68 degrees Fahrenheit as an ideal temperature for winter. For most Floridians, it strikes a great balance between efficiency, comfort, and health. It’s inefficient to target a winter indoor temperature that lets you walk around in shorts and a T-shirt. The better approach is to dress warmly and in layers. You can then add and remove layers as needed. If you do set your temperature higher, just be mindful that every degree can increase your bill by 1% to 3%.
Take Advantage of Programming and Other Advanced Thermostat Features
The DOE recommends a programmable thermostat for all U.S. households. Automatic temperature adjustment can reduce your annual heating bill by up to 8%. Strive to set your temperature back by 7 to 10 degrees at least eight hours a day. Many households can achieve that easily overnight while sleeping or during the day when away at work.
Choose a smart thermostat to participate in a local demand response program if available. If not, consider a thermostat with rate awareness. Many smart thermostats offer energy monitoring and insights. Other notable features include:
- Geofencing
- Vacation mode
- Adaptive learning
- Predictive maintenance
- Remote access and control
- Real-time weather monitoring
Improve Circulation and Ventilation
Avoid sick building syndrome, which is a common problem in the region. One way to do this is to improve circulation throughout the home with ceiling fans and other fans. Even in rooms you aren’t using, set ceiling fans to the lowest fan speed and in a clockwise direction. That will help to force the hotter air down into the living spaces.
If you need improved ventilation, consider an energy recovery ventilator (ERV). ERVs are advanced whole-house fans. They can delay how soon in the year you need to heat your home. Even when you do, you can continue to run your ERV. That’s because it can preheat and prehumidify the incoming fresh air to avoid undermining your home heating.
Maintain a Clear and Clean Outdoor Unit
Many Florida households get their heat from a heat pump, which has an outdoor unit that houses the compressor, condenser coil, and fan. Air must flow through that unit freely to maximize efficiency. Check the outdoor unit at least once a week. As needed, remove any buildup of leaves or other deposits, which, on rare occasions, may include ice or snow.
Seal and Insulate Your Home
Every several years, schedule a home energy audit. Then, reseal and upgrade your home as needed. Doing those things will help to avoid heat losses through unwanted natural ventilation.
Your Local Florida Heating Experts
For over 15 years, Arctic Air Home Services has been serving Floridians from our location in Sarasota, FL. Our experts offer many solutions to help you prepare for winter. We perform indoor air quality assessments, home energy audits, and seasonal HVAC tune-ups and various services to keep your ducts functioning as they should.
Call Arctic Air Home Services today, or contact us online to schedule a service appointment or in-home consultation.
