Heating and Cooling During the Mild Seasons
Deciding when to switch from heating mode to cooling mode, and vice versa, may not be easy. It’s important to keep air circulating during the spring and fall, but you may not need the power of your gas furnace or air conditioner to keep your home comfortable. So, what should you do?
Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to your heating and air conditioning equipment during the mild seasons.
Don’t turn off your equipment. It’s important to keep the air flowing during the spring and fall, especially if you are an allergy sufferer. If you notice that your equipment is not kicking on as often, and the air is getting stale, try setting your fan to the “ON” position on your thermostat.
Commit to your thermostat settings. It can be hard to determine when it is time to change your thermostat from one mode to the other. The important thing to keep in mind is to not keep switching between the two. On and off cycles are the most energy-consuming portions of a heating or cooling system’s run cycle. Minimizing these cycles is key.
Don’t simply rely on open windows. This goes hand-in-hand with the first point. It is important to keep your air clean during the fall and spring. The weather may be mild, but the allergies can be brutal. If you have to open the windows, do so sparingly.
If mild weather is common in your area, consider investing in a heat pump. A heat pump paired with a gas furnace can be the ideal, year-round heating and cooling setup. This way, you are always using the most efficient heat source for the season. Heat transfer (the heating method used by a heat pump) is a more energy-efficient heating method than heat creation (the heating method used by heat strips and space heaters). During milder nights, when you don’t need the power of the gas furnace, your heat pump can kick on and keep you cozy.
