Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Energy Savings’

How SEER2 Just Made Your Home More Energy Efficient

Monday, April 17th, 2023

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, or SEER system, was used up until SEER2 launched on January 1st, 2023. The main point you need to know as a homeowner is that certain air conditioners and heating systems are no longer available for purchase due to having a low rating under the new system.

So what does this mean for you? The wave of SEER2-ready HVAC systems come with a higher cost than you may have heard in previous quotes for a new air conditioner or furnace.

SEER2 impacts air conditioners, heat pumps, evaporator coils, gas furnaces, and single packaged units. Think about SEER2 as raising the bar on the lowest acceptable energy standards for these systems and components.

This means some older HVAC equipment is no longer available for purchase or installation because it doesn’t meet the minimum requirements set forth by SEER2.

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6 Tips to Keep Your Wallet Happy This Winter

Wednesday, December 14th, 2016

Don’t let your winter heating costs get you down


Sure, in the short walk from your heated car to your heated office the cold winter air may be refreshing, but I’m sure there are few among us who don’t appreciate the comfort of a well-heated house at the end of the day. I’ll also bet there are few among us whose energy bills don’t see some kind of spike in these winter months either. That part’s not so comforting.

But before you scramble to take up residence someplace more tropical, we’ve put together 6 tips to help keep your house warm and wallet happy this winter.

1. Go smart (with a smart/programmable thermostat)

Automatically control the temperature of your house when you’re working, sleeping, or otherwise occupied with a programmable thermostat, and you can save from 5 to 20% on your heating bill. No need to worry about remembering to turn your heat down when you leave the house–programmable thermostats take the hassle out of heating.

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Improving Indoor Air Quality

Saturday, June 25th, 2016

We all know about how stack effect works in homes, but during presentations, I’m always surprised by how many hands are raised in response to the question: “How many of you think you can make a house too tight and cause problems with indoor air quality?” Generally, at least three-quarters of the room raises their hands. Really? My colleague Joe Kuonen says that getting a house so tight that you need to ventilate is a feat worth celebrating. “Now, we can get fresh air from a place we can trust,” he says. Where do most of our homes get their fresh air? From places we cannot trust, like crawl spaces.

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