Let’s face it, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives and we still have to deal with fallout on a daily basis. One of the more important ways that many people have felt the greatest change has been a switch to working from home. At first, this seems like a relatively painless change but in reality it can be a very jarring experience.
Aside from all the other challenges that you need to overcome to stay productive, it’s important to maintain your home comfort. After all, when your home is your place of work you need to try to create the ideal working environment. Having a HVAC system in good working order helps, but it’s important to find a good balance between comfort and efficiency to avoid a high energy bill.
In this article, we will look at five HVAC tips that will help you to make the most of your home working experience without breaking the bank.
1. Using Floor, Ceiling and Desktop Fans
When it gets hot outside the natural tendency for most people is to crank up the air conditioning system to make it feel colder indoors. This is an effective method, but it drives up the energy bills and it adds extra strain to your cooling equipment. Many people forget about their fans, but it’s a smart decision to turn them on even if you have the AC system running. Why? Well the fans will move the air around to bring down the perceived temperature in a more natural way. Even a small oscillating desktop fan can make a huge difference when you are working at your desk. Turn the fan on when you are in the room and turn it off again when you leave to save valuable energy. If you adopt this habit you will notice that the room feels cooler even if the thermostat is kept at the same level.
2. Consider a Zoning System
An older HVAC system is likely to have the same temperature in every room in your home unless you close a vent. Unfortunately, closing vents is a bad idea because you can cause other issues and place additional strain on your HVAC system. So, is it possible to have different temperatures in various areas of your home at the same time? Yes, installing a zoning system will allow you to have a cooler or warmer working area when the rest of the home is kept at another temperature. After all, it doesn’t make sense to spend energy to heat or cool the rest of the home if you’re working at home alone. A zoning system can save you a lot of money on your energy bills over the course of a typical year and you can recoup your initial investment quickly. Contact your local certified heating and cooling specialist if you want to learn more about zoning for your home.
3. Change the Air Filters
Many people believed that air filters in their HVAC system clean the air to improve the indoor air quality (IAQ), This is partially correct, but the primary purpose is to trap particles that could enter the sensitive components where they can cause damage, Even a basic air filter will remove pet dander and some household dust to make the IAQ a little better but it’s not a substitute for an air purifier (more on this later). Changing your air filters regularly is a good idea because it will help to maintain sufficient airflow to run the system smoothly. This will lower your energy bills, limit the potential for failures and it may extend the useful lifespan of your HVAC system. The full instructions to change the air filters are in the owner’s manual for your system. Changing the filters regularly is advisable and you may need to change them more often if you have pets living in your home.
4. Consider Adding an Air Purifier
As we mentioned above, the IAQ in your home is important and many of us have indoor air that is more polluted than outdoors. Poor IAQ can have a dramatic effect on your health and it will affect your productivity when you’re trying to work efficiently. Adding an air purifier to your HVAC system will reduce the dirt, dust, and other particles in your indoor air that can make you feel sick. An air purifier will even eliminate bad odors and disinfect your air to make it healthier and free from germs. Some older HVAC systems are compatible with air purifiers, but if you have an outdated system you may want to consider an upgrade to a more efficient option. If you want to learn more about a whole house air purifier for your home contact your local HVAC specialist today.
5. Microfiber Dust Cloths
One of the best ways to improve the IAQ in your home is to clean regularly. When dust is allowed to accumulate on surfaces, it can easily become caught up in the circulation of air in your home. Remember that your HVAC system will circulate the indoor air through the system many times each day. Over time, the air will become stale and a standard air filter will only capture a portion of the dust. If you have a dusty home, this will cause the air filter to become clogged more quickly leading to more frequent filter changes. A good way to keep at least some of the dust at bay is to have some microfiber cloths on hand for quick dusting duties. If you can wipe down the surfaces in your home office every day, you will notice that the air feels fresher.
If you want a better home working experience and cleaner air these five tips should help. But, it’s important to have a reliable HVAC system that’s operating efficiently to ensure that you get the performance you need without breaking the bank. If you want to improve the performance and energy efficiency of your system contact your local certified HVAC specialist today.