« Back to Southland's Gone Green Main Page
It is possible that half of the energy used in homes is from heating and cooling systems. So the importance of making smart decisions about heating, ventilation, and air condition systems can have an incredible influence on your monthly energy and electric bills. This energy efficiency doesn't just lower your power bill, it lowers carbon dioxide emissions. So you're not only helping your wallet, but also the environment.
Central heating and cooling equipment distributes air throughout houses by a system called "duct work." When this system is properly installed, it allows air to distribute more evenly and the temperature you want to be maintained throughout the entire house. When duct systems are installed incorrectly they have been found to be as much as 60 percent less efficient due to leaks. A poor design can lead to energy loss. Accurate duct work designs can allow correct sizing of systems for your home and increase savings.
Having ducts that leak can cause energy bills to increase and system abilities to decrease. Another problem that can be caused by leaking ducts is an overall unbalance of temperatures throughout the house. Return-air duct leakage can cause dirty coils, thus reducing capacity. Return-duct leakage can be to blame for increased humidity levels in a house, during summer months.
It is important to make sure that the duct size is right for your size house. It is possible to think you need a bigger unit than you do. Duct systems can be oversized and under used or use more energy than is necessary. Also oversized systems can be so big that the temperatures are unbalanced throughout the house. Undersized duct work can lead to low air flow and increase noises from air squeezing through tight bends. If the size of the heating system is not correct for your house, too big or too small, it will impact your energy efficiency.
As Southland Homes we use energy efficient Amana® systems that are properly designed and installed by certified professionals. This insures your comfort and lowers your monthly bills.