Recently, CDE Lightband reported about high energy bills and usage during the extreme winter cold in January 2024.
They said “We endured a whopping 233 hours with temperatures below freezing – a stark contrast to last year’s 50 chilly hours.”
Check out CDE Power Partner’s full update here for a deep dive into: Biggest energy users in your home (spoiler alert: It’s your HVAC system.)
If your home’s HVAC system is inefficient, it’s not always obvious during mild temperatures, but when extreme temps occur, the inefficiencies become clear and COSTLY.
Common Culprits of Home Energy Inefficiency
Here are some top areas to pay attention to:
The HVAC equipment:
- Is it 10 years or older? Newer equipment is more efficient because it is manufactured to meet the most current energy standards. HVAC equipment also loses efficiency over time, therefore the 13 SEER system you bought years ago is not operating at the same efficiency today
- Improperly sized equipment – We commonly find equipment to be too big, not too small. When the unit is oversized it consumes more energy than it was designed to use
- High electric bills can be a sign of a malfunctioning system which needs to be repaired
Duct systems:
MOST duct systems we evaluate have some degree of error and inefficiency. Common culprits are:
- Leaky ducts – heating and cooling is either leaking the “bought air” into unconditioned spaces or pulling unconditioned air into the ducts. This mean longer run times to achieve the desired temperature
- Undersized ducts- Small ducts means the equipment has to work harder, this causes higher utility bills, stress on the blower motor and decreased air delivery. Less air equals less comfort which leads to overcorrecting the thermostat. This overcorrection increases runtime unnecessarily and raises the electric bill. The stress on the blower will also cause premature blower motor replacements.
- Poorly insulated ducts- Properly insulated ducts ensure the heating or cooling you pay for actually ends up where you want it. Poorly insulated ducts in unconditioned spaces loose or gain unnecessary heat as the air passes through them.
Poor home insulation:
Many homes lack adequate ceiling or floor insulation, which cause the heating and cooling purchased to be lost more quickly.
Baggett Can Help!
If you recently received a high electric bill, Baggett can help! We can evaluate and address all of these common culprits that cause this situation. Contact us, and we can discuss your options for addressing your issues.
