Work at Home – Pros and Cons

HVAC Decor? Tips To Enhance Your Heating And Air System's Efficiency And Appeal

by Jared Butler

From painting shutters and cleaning your carpet to mowing the lawn, it is easy to see the challenges of home ownership. While these tasks are necessary for your home's upkeep and appeal, incorporating elements into your home that conserve energy is smart for your finances and the environment. Considering half of your home's energy usage stems from your heating and cooling, finding ways to improve system efficiency is smart.

While surprising to hear, there are many ways to conserve energy, improve your heating and cooling's operation, and enhance the look of your home. Using this guide of HVAC decorating, your system will be energy efficient and attractive.

Clean and Paint with Purpose

The ultraviolet rays of the sun, rain, and even snow can wreak havoc on your heating and air's outdoor unit. Over time, this weathering will cause your unit to discolor and rust. In addition, wind and rain can cause debris to build up inside your unit creating issues in the system's motor.

To improve the look and working order of your outdoor unit, complete the following steps:

  1. Set the thermostat to power down your system.
  2. Use your garden hose to rinse off the outdoor unit. Place the hose nozzle directly against the side to force any debris out. This will remove leaves, grass clipping, mulch, and trash from inside your unit.
  3. Use a soft-bristled brush and liquid dish soap to remove hard patches of dirt and residue. For areas with rust, gently wash with fine steel wool and soap. Use the garden hose to rinse off the excess.
  4. Cover electrical connections and your home's exterior siding with plastic sheeting. Use painter's tape to secure.
  5. Using an appliance spray paint in your desired color, coat your unit's exterior.
  6.  Allow the paint to dry overnight before applying a second coat.

Love your Landscape

Landscaping is an imperative part of your home's curb appeal, but you may not be familiar with the enormous benefits it can have on your home's heating and cooling systems. Adding trees and shrubs in strategic areas of your yard not only adds curb appeal and improves the look of your landscape, but it can also reduce energy usage.

Consider the following tips when landscaping your yard for energy efficiency and appeal:

  • Shrubs – Plant a few shrubs around your outdoor unit. To avoid potential accumulation of leaves inside your unit, be sure there is sufficient space between the shrub and unit. Shading the unit with shrubs can improve energy efficiency by 10 percent. While this energy savings is beneficial, the shrubs will improve your home's curb appeal by blocking a bulky, unappealing outdoor unit.
  • Trees – Investing in trees for your landscape is also smart for your home's appeal and your heating and cooling costs. Unfortunately, the large variety of trees can be overwhelming when deciding which tree to plant in each location.

          To shade your landscape and home all through the year, choose an evergreen tree. Evergreens include camphor, juniper, fir, and pine trees. If you want to block solar heat in the summer while allowing partial sunlight during the winter, opt for a deciduous tree that loses its leaves. Deciduous versions include maple, birch, elm, and oak trees.

Updating your home's landscaping may seem like an expensive, time consuming, and stressful project. However, with proper design and maintenance, you can reduce energy costs 15 to 50 percent.

Maintaining your home's heating and cooling system is an obvious way to ensure it is in proper, energy efficient working order, but certain tasks can increase performance tremendously. Using this guide of HVAC décor, you can improve the look and energy efficiency of your heating and cooling system.  For more information, contact a local air conditioning repair company. 

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