Today’s average proponent for conservationism usually lacks Teddy Roosevelt’s virility and charisma. Roughing it in the Dakota Territory – an inhospitable yet miraculously beautiful pocket of earth back during the 1880s – surely refined the president’s appreciation for the environment.
We like to think he would be pleased by modern Americans’ efforts to preserve the only world God gave us. That is exemplified by the growing demand for energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, which has largely been born out of concern over carbon emissions, climate change and increasing energy prices.
Would you like to follow Teddy’s lead by upgrading your home or commercial property to a sustainable HVAC system? Then here are just some of the benefits you can expect!
Save Money on Your Energy Bills
At its heart, a sustainable HVAC system consumes relatively less energy than traditional alternatives. That means you can pay significantly less to keep your property comfortable all year long.
What kinds of savings are we talking about? Well, switching from a furnace or baseboard heaters to a high-efficiency heat pump can reduce your electricity use for heating by approximately 50%. A solar-powered air conditioner could shave a whopping 40% off your energy bills during the summertime. Even if you go with a traditional yet high-efficiency furnace, you can realistically save between 10 and 20% on your energy bill.
Sustainable HVAC appliances are poised to save you even more money once you consider tax incentives. You see, the Inflation Reduction Act wasn’t actually designed to reduce inflation in any significant way. What it really does is provide funding, programs and other incentives intended to accelerate the United States’ transition to clean energy. That includes a tax credit amounting to 30% (limited to $2,000) of the total cost of purchasing and installing a heat pump. And so long as it satisfies Energy Star’s highest standards for energy efficiency, a central AC, oil furnace, water boiler or water heater can also qualify for a $600 tax rebate.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
A sustainable HVAC system will reduce your carbon footprint (i.e. the total amount of greenhouse gasses you are responsible for releasing into the atmosphere) for the same reason it reduces your energy costs: It requires the combustion of fewer or zero fossil fuels.
High-efficiency HVAC appliances greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks in part to its modern refrigerant, a heat pump produces at least 20% less greenhouse gas than a traditional gas boiler. A geothermal heating system won’t eliminate greenhouse gas production altogether, although it will emit approximately 99% less carbon dioxide than a system that utilizes fossil fuel. And even if they weren’t converted to solar power, simply doubling the energy efficiency of air conditioners could save Americans up to $2.9 trillion in electricity generation, transmission and distribution costs.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
It’s not the chief reason why you would embrace green HVAC, but improved indoor air quality is a nice added benefit to upgrading your heating or cooling system. In addition to an easy-to-clean filter, a heat pump can feature a completely ductless design which accumulates far less dust and other air pollutants. Better yet, a heat pump’s electric motor cannot emit sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide or other harmful flue gasses.
Higher indoor air quality is not a unique benefit of heat pumps. Any high-efficiency furnace will necessarily produce lower concentrations of flue gasses. Furthermore, its state-of-the-art filtration system is significantly more effective at removing irritating particles from air before they can circulate throughout your home or business.
If you live or do business in the greater Sioux Falls, SD area, then you can count on PrairieSons for all your HVAC installation, maintenance, repair and replacement needs. Please contact us today if you’re ready to upgrade your property’s HVAC system to one that will save you money, reduce your impact on the irreplaceable environment, and help you breathe easier while you’re at it!