Your home’s comfort depends heavily on well-maintained heating and cooling systems. As temperatures fluctuate throughout the year, your HVAC equipment works tirelessly to maintain the perfect indoor environment. Regular HVAC inspections play a crucial role in keeping your system running efficiently and preventing unexpected breakdowns, which can save you money in both the short and long term. 

In this guide, Fast Response Heating & Cooling will explain how routine maintenance is an investment that protects both your comfort and your wallet.

The Cost of Skipping HVAC Maintenance

Think of your HVAC system like your car: It needs regular tune-ups to perform at its best. Skipping routine maintenance can allow small issues to snowball into major problems, affecting system performance and driving up energy bills.

During inspections, a licensed technician can catch early warning signs like refrigerant leaks, worn fan belts, corroded electrical connections, or clogged drain lines. Fixing these issues early prevents costly emergency repairs and prevents system failures during extreme weather.

How Maintenance Saves You Money

Regular HVAC inspections offer several cost-saving benefits:

• Lower Energy Bills: A clean, well-maintained system runs more efficiently, using less energy to heat or cool your home. 
• Fewer Repairs: Catching problems early prevents costly breakdowns, saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in emergency repairs. 
• Longer System Lifespan: Proper maintenance can extend the life of your equipment from 8 years to 15 or more, delaying the need for expensive replacements. 
• Improved Warranty Coverage: Many manufacturers require regular maintenance to keep warranties valid, potentially saving you on repair costs.

Why Schedule in the New Year?

Because winter places additional strain on heating systems, it’s essential to ensure everything is running smoothly. Starting the year with an inspection sets your system up for success and helps you avoid unexpected issues during peak heating or cooling periods. 

Experts recommend scheduling two inspections annually: one in spring to prepare for the cooling season and one in fall before heating season kicks into gear. By committing to this schedule, you’ll enjoy consistent performance and lower operating costs throughout the year. 

What To Expect During an HVAC Inspection

Your HVAC technician will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your entire system. 

This includes:

• Testing electrical components and connections
• Checking refrigerant levels and pressure
• Cleaning or replacing air filters
• Lubricating moving parts to reduce wear and tear
• Inspecting ductwork for leaks or blockages
• Calibrating thermostat settings
• Testing safety controls, including carbon monoxide detectors

The Impact on Your Home’s Air Quality

Clean systems do more than just heat and cool. They also vitally filter out dust, allergens, and other airborne particles. Regular maintenance ensures that your system effectively cleanses the air your family breathes.

Fast Response Heating & Cooling: Your Partner in Savings

Regular HVAC inspections are one of the best investments you can make in your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. By keeping your system in top condition, you’ll save on utility bills, avoid expensive repairs, and enjoy reliable performance all year long. 

Call Fast Response today at (945) 292-3188 to schedule – let us help you save money and stay comfortable in the year ahead!

A drafty home isn’t just uncomfortable – it’s also expensive. When air leaks allow climate-controlled air to escape, your HVAc system has to work harder to maintain a consistent temperature, driving up energy bills. But if you know how to find and seal air leaks in your home, you can solve both of these problems.

Here’s what you need to know about how you can improve your home’s insulation and leak resistance to keep your air where it needs to be.

Common Areas in Texas Homes Where Air Leaks Happen

Finding air leaks starts with inspecting the areas most prone to drafts, including:

• Doors Seams
• Windows Seams
• Around Chimneys and Furnace Flues
• Wiring and Plumbing Entry Points
• Inside Ductwork
• Exterior and Garage-Adjacent Walls
• Recessed Lighting

How Air Leaks Affect Energy Bills and Indoor Comfort

Air leaks allow the conditioned air you’re paying to heat or cool to escape, forcing your HVAC system to work overtime. This extra workload increases your energy usage and costs.

According to the EPA, sealing air leaks can reduce heating and cooling expenses by up to 15%, making it a crucial step for homeowners looking to save money and improve comfort.

How Sealing Air Leaks Helps With Energy Efficiency and HVAC Performance

By reducing air leaks, you not only lower your energy bills but also improve the performance and lifespan of your HVAC system. A system that doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain indoor temperatures experiences less wear and tear, reducing the likelihood of costly repairs and extending its operational life.

Simple Ways to Check for Air Leaks at Home

Detecting air leaks doesn’t require advanced tools – these simple methods can help you find problem areas:

• Hold a piece of tissue paper near windows, doors or outlets. If it moves, there’s likely a draft.
• Close a dollar bill in a window or door frame. If you can easily pull it out, the seal isn’t tight enough.
• Light an incense stick and hold it near suspected leaks. Watch the smoke – any disturbance indicates airflow.
• Use your hands to feel for drafts around windows, doors, baseboards, and attic hatches, especially on windy days.

Of course, you can also call professionals like Fast Response Heating & Cooling to run detailed tests to identify even hard-to-detect leaks.

What Tools Are Best for Sealing Air Leaks?

Sealing air leaks requires the right materials. Here are some of our favorite options:

• Caulk: Ideal for sealing small cracks and gaps around windows and doors.
• Weatherstripping: Provides reliable seal for moveable components like doors and windows.
• Spray foam: Expands to fill larger gaps, making it great for plumbing and wiring entry points.
• Metal flashing: Used to seal gaps around chimneys and flues.
• Insulation: Adds an extra barrier against air leaks in attics and crawl spaces.

Learn How To Find and Seal Air Leaks in Your Home With Fast Response Heating & Cooling

If you’re ready to eliminate drafts and improve your home’s comfort, Fast Response is here to help.

For service or answers to your questions about heating and cooling, call (945) 292-3188 today!

If you’ve ever looked at appliances in the hardware store, you’re probably familiar with the Energy Star sticker. This sticker shows that the appliance is energy-efficient enough to be part of the Energy Star program, which is the US’s standard for efficient appliances.

When you get a new HVAC system, make sure yours has the star of approval to save money and live greener. Fast Response Heating & Cooling explains HVAC Energy Star ratings in this blog post so you can know what to look for!

What Is an Energy Star-Rated Unit?

An Energy Star unit is, essentially, a unit that uses less energy than standard options. They operate the same, but because they’re built with a focus on energy-efficiency, they let you save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

Terms To Know for HVAC Energy Star Ratings

There are several acronyms you should know to determine your HVAC system efficiency. HVAC performance is rated based on these terms, and the requirements for an Energy Star rating are set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

SEER

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is the efficiency measurement for air conditioners and heat pumps. The rating measures a system’s efficiency over the course of an entire season.

The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient your system will be and you’ll save more money. HVAC units must be 14 or higher, though they go as high as 23.

EER

EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) measures the efficiency of a cooling system. It differs from the SEER because it measures efficiency based off of a single usage rather than the entire season.

AFUE

AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is used for furnaces to measure how much fuel is sent out of the chimney instead of turned into heat. Energy-efficient heating is highly obtainable these days since most AFUE ratings are 97-98.5%.

HSPF

HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) measures heat pump efficiency over the course of a season, similar to SEER ratings. The current HSPF range is 7.7-13.

Requirements for Energy Star Certification

HVAC Energy Star ratings look at the above factors to determine what score to give a system. The highest possible ratings are often very expensive; however, the lower-rated ones are more affordable while still offering great efficiency.

The minimum requirements are:

• Central air conditioners: Central air conditioners require a SEER rating of 14.
• Room air conditioners: Window or mini split air conditioners should have an EER rating of at least 10.
• Heat pumps: Heat pumps should have a SEER rating of 14 if they also have cooling capabilities. Heat pumps that only produce heat need an HSPF rating of eight.
• Furnaces: Furnaces need an AFUE rating of 85% for oil, and 90% for gas.

Fast Response Heating & Cooling Can Help You Save Energy

If you still aren’t sure which HVAC Energy Star ratings you need to save money and energy over time, Fast Response Heating & Cooling can help. We’ll help you pick the HVAC units that will suit your home the best and give you the best benefits.

Call us today at (945) 292-3188 to schedule a time for us to come out.