New Year’s HVAC Resolutions: Steps for a Better System

As the New Year begins, it’s the perfect time to set goals for improving your home’s comfort, energy efficiency, and long-term savings. While many people focus on personal resolutions, making New Year’s resolutions for your HVAC system can lead to significant benefits, from lowering utility bills to ensuring consistent indoor comfort year-round. In regions like Colorado Springs, where both winters and summers can be extreme, proper HVAC maintenance is essential to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently throughout the year.

Here are some practical HVAC resolutions that can help set your heating and cooling system up for success in the New Year, ensuring a comfortable, energy-efficient home for you and your family.

Prioritize Regular HVAC Maintenance

One of the most important New Year’s resolutions you can make for your HVAC system is to commit to regular maintenance. Scheduling professional inspections and tune-ups for your heating and cooling system at least twice a year—once in the spring for your air conditioner and once in the fall for your furnace—can significantly improve efficiency, extend the life of your equipment, and reduce the likelihood of costly repairs.

Benefits of Regular HVAC Maintenance:

Improved Efficiency: Regular tune-ups keep your system running at peak efficiency, helping to reduce energy consumption and lower utility bills.
Fewer Breakdowns: Professional maintenance helps catch potential issues early, before they turn into major problems that require expensive repairs.
Extended Lifespan: Well-maintained HVAC systems last longer, providing years of reliable heating and cooling. Without proper maintenance, systems can wear down prematurely, leading to unexpected replacements.

Make it a resolution to set reminders to schedule these essential maintenance appointments. HVAC professionals will clean your system, check components like the blower motor and heat exchanger, and ensure everything is functioning properly.

Change Air Filters Regularly

Changing your air filters is a simple yet crucial step in maintaining your HVAC system, and it should be at the top of your New Year’s HVAC resolutions list. A clogged or dirty air filter reduces airflow, making your system work harder to heat or cool your home. This not only decreases efficiency but also raises energy bills and can shorten the lifespan of your system.

How Often to Change Filters:

For standard 1- to 2-inch filters, change them every 30 to 60 days, especially during peak seasons when your system is running frequently.

Homes with pets or people with allergies may need to change filters more often, as hair, dander, and dust accumulate quickly.

Consider upgrading to high-efficiency filters, such as HEPA filters, which trap smaller particles and improve indoor air quality.

Regular filter changes improve airflow, enhance efficiency, and ensure that your HVAC system runs smoothly, providing better indoor air quality and helping to prevent system malfunctions.

Upgrade to a Programmable or Smart Thermostat

One of the most impactful resolutions you can make for your HVAC system is upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat. These thermostats allow you to create heating and cooling schedules that fit your lifestyle, ensuring your home stays comfortable without wasting energy. A programmable thermostat lets you automatically adjust the temperature when you’re away or asleep, reducing unnecessary heating or cooling.

Advantages of Smart Thermostats:

Energy Savings: Smart thermostats can learn your habits and adjust the temperature accordingly, helping to reduce energy consumption by up to 10%.
Remote Control: With smart thermostats, you can control your home’s temperature from anywhere using your smartphone. This is particularly useful for managing energy use when you’re on vacation or returning home at different times.
Maintenance Alerts: Many smart thermostats send notifications when it’s time to change your air filter or schedule a system check, helping you stay on top of maintenance tasks.

By upgrading your thermostat, you can save money on energy bills, enhance your home’s comfort, and take better control of your HVAC system’s performance in the New Year.

Seal and Insulate Your Home

A well-functioning HVAC system can only do so much if your home is not properly sealed or insulated. Gaps around windows, doors, and ductwork allow warm or cool air to escape, making your system work harder to maintain a consistent temperature. One of the best HVAC resolutions for the New Year is to improve your home’s insulation and seal any air leaks to enhance your system’s efficiency.

How to Improve Insulation and Seal Air Leaks:

Seal Windows and Doors: Apply weatherstripping or caulk around windows and doors to block drafts and prevent heat loss during the winter or cool air from escaping in the summer.
Insulate Attics and Walls: Proper insulation in attics and walls is crucial to preventing heat transfer, keeping your home warm in winter and cool in summer. Insulating your ductwork, particularly in unconditioned spaces like attics or basements, ensures that your HVAC system delivers air efficiently.
Check for Duct Leaks: Leaky ductwork can reduce your system’s efficiency by up to 30%. Have your ducts professionally inspected and sealed to prevent air from escaping, improving both energy efficiency and indoor comfort.

Properly sealing and insulating your home will not only reduce the strain on your HVAC system but also lead to lower energy bills and improved overall comfort.

Clean and Clear Vents and Registers

Vents and registers that are blocked by furniture, curtains, or dust can hinder airflow, making your HVAC system less efficient. In the New Year, make it a habit to regularly check and clean your home’s vents and registers to ensure unobstructed airflow throughout your living spaces.

Steps for Maintaining Vents and Registers:

Dust and Vacuum: Use a vacuum with a brush attachment to clean dust and debris from your vents and registers. This will help reduce the circulation of allergens and improve airflow.
Check for Obstructions: Make sure no furniture, rugs, or other items are blocking the vents. Airflow should be able to circulate freely to maintain even heating and cooling.
Adjust Vents: In rooms that are too warm or too cold, adjust the vents to better balance the airflow and create a more comfortable environment.

By keeping your vents and registers clean and unobstructed, you’ll enhance your system’s efficiency and ensure more even temperatures throughout your home.

Consider HVAC Upgrades and Replacements

If your HVAC system is more than 10 to 15 years old, the New Year may be the perfect time to consider upgrading to a more energy-efficient model. Advances in heating and cooling technology have made modern systems significantly more efficient than older models, helping you save on energy costs while reducing your carbon footprint.

Signs It’s Time to Upgrade:

Frequent Repairs: If your system requires constant repairs, it may be more cost-effective to invest in a new unit rather than continuing to pay for temporary fixes.
High Energy Bills: Older systems often use more energy than newer, high-efficiency models. If you’ve noticed a steady increase in your energy bills, upgrading your HVAC system could save you money in the long run.
Uneven Temperatures: If some rooms are too hot or too cold despite regular maintenance, it could be a sign that your system is struggling to maintain consistent airflow. A new, properly sized HVAC system can provide more reliable and even heating or cooling.

Upgrading your HVAC system to a more energy-efficient model can lead to significant long-term savings and ensure that your home stays comfortable all year.

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Maintaining good indoor air quality is essential, especially during the colder months when windows are closed and ventilation is limited. For the New Year, make it a priority to improve your home’s indoor air quality by taking steps to reduce airborne contaminants and allergens.

Indoor Air Quality Resolutions:

Install an Air Purifier: Adding an air purifier to your HVAC system can help remove dust, pollen, pet dander, and other allergens from the air, improving indoor air quality.
Use High-Efficiency Filters: Consider upgrading to high-efficiency air filters that trap finer particles, keeping the air in your home cleaner and reducing allergy symptoms.
Control Humidity: During winter, dry indoor air can cause discomfort and respiratory irritation. Use a humidifier to maintain optimal humidity levels, ideally between 30% and 50%, to improve comfort and reduce the spread of airborne viruses.

By focusing on improving indoor air quality, you’ll create a healthier, more comfortable living environment for you and your family in the New Year.

By setting these HVAC resolutions for the New Year, you can improve the performance and efficiency of your heating and cooling system, leading to greater comfort, energy savings, and peace of mind throughout the year. Whether it’s scheduling regular maintenance, upgrading to a smart thermostat, or improving your home’s insulation, these steps will ensure that your HVAC system is well-equipped to handle the demands of every season.

Contact Absolute Comfort, Inc. today to schedule HVAC maintenance or to learn more about system upgrades that can help you meet your New Year’s resolutions for a better, more efficient heating and cooling system.