9 Statistics on HVAC Energy Consumption
In Central Jersey, the weather can range from bitterly cold in the winter to hot and humid in the summer, with plenty of rain, sleet, and snow along the way. No matter how bad the weather is outside, you can count on your heating and air conditioning systems to keep your home comfortable year-round. But the question is, how much will it cost to stay comfortable? Check out these nine statistics on HVAC energy consumption.
HVAC Energy Consumption & How You Can Reduce It
Heating and air conditioning systems are critical to your comfort, but they are also the largest consumers of energy in a typical household. Here are a few facts that can help you understand how your HVAC system impacts your budget:
HVAC Energy Usage
- In a typical New Jersey home, the HVAC system represents up to 48% of total household energy usage, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This means that by improving the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning systems, you can reduce your utility costs significantly.
- During the winter, your heating system represents up to 42% of your monthly energy usage. While there is no way to change how cold New Jersey’s winters are, there are things you can do to reduce energy consumption during the heating season, such as sealing air leaks and adding insulation.
- Air conditioners alone use about 6% of all the electricity in the United States, at a cost of over $29 billion a year. With the high electricity rates in New Jersey, cooling costs can add up quickly over a typical summer.
- Improper HVAC installations can dramatically affect your heating and cooling costs. According to the DOE, installation mistakes can reduce HVAC efficiency by up to 30%, so be sure to choose a qualified HVAC professional for all heating and air conditioning installations.
Reducing Energy Consumption
- According to the DOE, taking a whole-home approach to reducing your energy consumption can cut your energy costs by up to 30%. This includes things like installing efficient HVAC equipment, keeping it properly maintained, installing a programmable thermostat, sealing air leaks, adding insulation, sealing air ducts, and more.
- By upgrading to a high-efficiency air conditioner and taking other steps to improve cooling efficiency, such as adding a programmable thermostat or sealing air leaks, you can reduce your cooling costs by 20 to 50%.
- By simply installing and using a programmable thermostat properly, you can reduce the heating and cooling costs for your Central Jersey home by 10% or $180 a year.
- If your home is more than a few years old, there is a good chance that your air ducts are wasting huge amounts of energy. According to the DOE, properly sealing and insulating your ducts can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20%.
- Proper maintenance is critical to the efficiency of your HVAC system. By simply replacing the air filters every few months, for example, you can reduce your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5 to 15%.
In addition to reducing your energy usage, many of these steps can also significantly improve your comfort.
HVAC Services in Old Bridge & Central Jersey
At Arctic Air Conditioning, we can help keep your heating and cooling costs as low as possible with our cost-effective HVAC maintenance services. We also offer energy-efficient, high-performance HVAC systems from Lennox, as well as programmable thermostats and other energy-saving upgrades. We serve customers in Old Bridge and the surrounding communities in Central Jersey.
Contact us today at 732-518-8215 or visit us online to learn more!