Going green is all the rage these days, but there’s nothing new or trendy about spending less money on home energy needs. The latest home heating and air conditioning units, as well as water heaters, are more energy efficient than ever – helping soften the impact on the environment as well as a homeowner’s wallet.
“Energy efficient basically means that the product can produce the same amount of comfort, or hot water, by using less energy, which also results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions,” says Brad Huff, president of Mister Quik Home Services in Indianapolis, IN. “Energy efficient choices can save families about one-third on their energy bill with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions–without sacrificing features, style or comfort. You can save yourself and family money in lower utility costs while doing something good for the environment.”
Replace Old HVAC Systems for Instant Savings
For example, Mr. Quik offers Trane heating and cooling systems with 96.7% efficiency. Replacing an old system with a more efficient one results in immediate energy savings.
“The minimum system today would be an 80% system,” says Huff. “What this means is that 80% of the energy output goes to heating and cooling your home, and 20% goes out the chimney. With a 96.7% efficient system, very little energy goes to waste.”
The higher the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating on gas heating equipment, the more efficient it is. The percentage reflects the amount of heating the equipment delivers for every fuel dollar spent.
Replacing a traditional water heater with a tankless variety is another way to reduce energy consumption in the home. While a traditional water heater heats and reheats water around the clock, a tankless water heater such as the Rinnai system, heats and delivers hot water as needed. Because the hot water is instant, there is no need to run the tap waiting for the water to warm. The result is a savings in both water and energy.
The new GE Hybrid water heater takes heat out of the air surrounding the water heater and, using a sealed system, injects that heat into the tank to heat the water. According to Huff, this is the first electric water heater to qualify for an Energy Star rating, an important distinction when talking about energy efficiency.
Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy designed to help save money and protect the environment though energy efficient products and practices. Products that contribute to significant energy savings are eligible for the Energy Star label.
Energy Tax Credits Help Pay for New Systems
While more efficient products save both energy and money, they tend to cost more up front. However, consumers can take advantage of energy tax credits to help defray the cost of these systems. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allows consumers to receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost of energy efficient products, up to $1,500. This credit is available through Dec. 31, 2010.
As a full home services company, Mr. Quik is in the unique position of not only fixing existing home heating and air systems, but recommending more efficient systems when their customer’s current systems wear out.
It is a great opportunity for us to be able to educate our customers on the energy-saving product we offer and help them out when they are looking to upgrade or replace older equipment,” Huff says. “Our industry has seen such great strides in energy efficiency that we are able to help our customers install new energy-efficient products and help lower their utility bills.” “In this economy, everyone can use that,” he says. “We also try to let them know about the federal and state rebates and incentives that will help them when looking to purchase new equipment.”
Originally posted 2010-03-17 09:00:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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