At Travis Crawford Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we offer free estimates and repairs on all HVAC makes and models. Our customers in Charlotte, North Carolina trust us to keep their homes comfortable during all seasons. Accurate heating and cooling assessments are the first steps to take when you decide to repair an old system or install a new one.
Checking Insulation Value
Whenever you look at adjusting your heating and cooling systems, you should factor in the insulation value of the home as a whole. Inspecting the actual insulation in the walls can be an excellent place to start. Many people look in the attic to find out if the insulation is thick enough and to see how it has held up over the life of the house.
Next, many people need to find out how well their windows retain heat. The seal on the windows is important. Nevertheless, each window itself has an insulation value from the manufacturers as well. When you inspect the window seal, you should look for any spaces. You should at least hold your hand near the window edges to see if hot air or cold air comes through easily. On newer houses with properly installed windows, this won’t be the case. However, over time, you may see problems develop.
If you can get the original window installation slip, you will have a good idea of how well the windows are insulating and if the warranty has expired. You can also do this for your doors, including any garage doors. In addition to having a sealing material on the outside of the door, many doors will have an additional type of air sealing barrier on at least the bottom. Check this for wear and tear as you plan maintenance for your home’s heating and cooling systems.
Look at the Roof
Roofs are a large part of the heating and cooling equation in your house. You will find that older roofs do not keep the house as cool in the summer or as warm in the winter. If your roof is beginning to show its age, you will want to look for a more powerful heating and cooling system.
Checking shingles, gutters, vents, and other things that attach to the roof will help you assess the ability of your home to contain heated or cooled air. However, looking at the last two years of energy bills for the home can also give you a good idea of the size of unit you need to heat or cool your home.
Professional Inspections
While you can do parts of your heating and cooling assessment yourself, calling a professional inspector is helpful. Professionals can advise you on small and large home improvements to see what will help you keep your heating and cooling costs down.
Sometimes, a little bit more attic insulation and one or two window replacements will significantly cut your bill. Even with the cost of repairs, you could be looking at hefty savings on your long-term heating and cooling budget.
Professionals have plenty of tools to get into the hard-to-reach parts of the home for in-depth assessments. They can make sure that nothing is missed as you aim for energy-efficient home temperatures.
If you do need significant home improvements to maintain a comfortable temperature on a reasonable budget, you can still save long-term on heating costs. As things like windows and insulation deteriorate, they lead to a higher cost in energy bills. As time goes on, the extra energy you spend on heating and cooling your home will become a significant expense in your budget.
Your Local Climate
Local weather can stay consistent for decades sometimes. Then again, sometimes temperatures change a lot during certain decades. Many furnaces and air conditioning units come with 10-year warranties. If you think that the weather is changing or you have recently relocated, you don’t have to keep the same type of heating and cooling system from the previous decade. If you can get historical weather data for your area and research trends, you may find valuable information in obtaining a more efficient HVAC unit.
Travis Crawford Heating, Cooling & Plumbing serves Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Our company is known for trustworthy sales and installation for new Trane and Rheem systems. We provide repairs for all makes and models during late-night emergencies and regular maintenance. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us today.
