In the middle of the summer, the thought of cool air is as appealing as your favourite meal or your favourite holiday destination. On the other hand, the thought of warm air in the middle of the winter offers the same effect.
Heating and cooling costs account for nearly half of the energy consumed in your home. However, have you thought about breaking down your heating and cooling costs to determine which is higher? Closely examining your heating and cooling expenses can enable you to gain insights into which one is higher and how you can implement cost-saving strategies.
Comparing heating and cooling costs
So which one costs more, heating or cooling your home? The answer to this question lies in how HVAC systems work. During the summer, the air conditioning unit's compressor generates cool air. The compressor removes hot air from the home and chills it on order to reduce its temperature. During the winter, the reverse process takes place. Cold air from the home is heated and channelled via ducts and vents into various rooms.
You will find that cooling air costs less than heating it. This is because generating cool air simply involves removing the heat and humidity from the supply, as opposed to heating cold air and keeping it warm. In fact, heating the home costs almost twice as much as cooling it. You should also note that the final amount you end up paying for heating/cooling costs also depends on fixed service charges that your energy service provider will add to the bill.
Factors that will influence heating/cooling costs
While, in general, heating the home costs more than cooling it, there are other factors that may influence how much you will spend on each. These factors include:
Insulation of the home
A well insulated home will reduce both heating and cooling expenses. Insulation prevents air from leaking inside and outside the home. In this way, cool air during the summer is not lost, and warm air during the winter is also not lost.
If your home is properly insulated, you can use space heaters to reduce your home heating expenses.
The effectiveness of your unit
If your HVAC unit is run down and inefficient, you will end up incurring higher heating and cooling expenses. It is a good idea to consider servicing or replacing a faulty unit.
Your ventilation system
The ducts and vents in your home play an important role in the effectiveness of your heating/cooling system. If the ducts are properly cleaned and sealed, you will save up to 20% on heating/cooling costs.
Share25 April 2018
Hello, my name is Colin and this is my construction blog. When people think of the construction industry, they often just imagine guys in hard hats building brick walls. While this is a popular image of the industry, it doesn't reflect the true diversity of different contractors and tradesmen who are involved in a construction project. Lasy year, my wife and I decided to construct our dream home. I had to arrange visits of plumbers, roofers, electricians, surveyors and home builders in order to get the job done. I learnt a lot during that experience, so I decided to start this blog.