Question:
I am in the market for a new heating/air conditioning system. This will be
for a house about 1,200 sq. feet in size. New ductwork will be necessary
since the present system is very, very old. Ballpark, how much do you think
an energy efficient system for this size of house located in Ohio-Western PA
area should cost? Anyone have any special suggestions or advice when
shopping for a heating /air conditioning system? I have checked various
manufactures' sites for their information. What I am seeking is information
about your personal experience in this area. Are the new energy star
systems really worth the extra costs? Is an electronic air cleaner really a
worthwhile investment?
Answer:
I'd recommend giving your utility companies a call and asking about
programs for heating and A/C equipment. Here in Minneapolis, MN, I got
rebates on A/C and a boiler that paid about 2/3 of the extra cost of a
mid-level efficient over the lower end equipment. I'm quite happy
with the A/C electric usage. There's also some new technology of gas
powered heat pumps with energy recovery that are very efficient. I
believe they have rebate programs for these that offer even more. I
believe this approach works well in areas where the need for heat and
cooling is more equal over the year. (Heat pumps don't easily provide
the level of heat we need in January. I believe the energy recovery
from the gas make this more feasible). Your area would seem to be
more appropriate for heat pumps. In case you don't know, these are an
A/C compressor that also provides moderate amounts of heating.
There are usually local energy efficiency groups that would have
advice. And our utility does free energy audits. I'd say,
investigate the options. I find contractors don't look after your
long term cost, just their short term profit for the most part. Some
are OK. Most people don't care enough to explore their options
either.
I should say that a 1200 sf house is small, and since you shouldn't
use a lot of energy, the potential savings are limited. Probably not
worth expensive, high efficiency equipment.
I got a "space guard" filter. I believe that they do a lot of good
for a low cost. Some of the electronic filters are expensive and must
be cleaned often (like every month or two) to continue working well.
