One of the biggest questions today with regards to cost and living is the subject of which is more expensive – air conditioning or heating. This is something we are going to cover in this article although, I could ask you what your opinion is on which is more expensive, but we all know that the answer is relative.
We all know that the energy efficiency we have today is off the charts, and it reflects when our bills arrive – not my fault. Many people consider heating their homes during the winter season more expensive than cooling their homes during summer, while for some other people, this is not the case.
If you look at the energy consumption rate, the difference between heating and cooling is not much, but the bills tend to tell a different story, according to Eastern Air Conditioning, a business that supplies air conditioning in Sutherland Shire.
Looking at this, here are some factors that cause these variations:
Your Location of Residence
Among the things we need to consider when talking about the difference in cost between air conditioning and heating our homes is our location.
So, let us dive into it. On one hand, when the winter is longer than the summer periods in your location, it is an undeniable fact that the bills for winter would be far more than the summer bills.
On the other hand, when you live in a location where the summer period is far longer than the winter season, then the bills would be higher when cooling the home. Finally, when you live in an area where there is equity between the summer and winter periods, heating costs more for many reasons.
Effective Home Insulation
One of the significant facts you need to consider in relations to cost is insulation. Proper home insulation helps you reduce the cost of heating and cooling your home.
Trying to cool or heat your home with poor insulation is like trying to get water using a basket, you get the hang of what I am saying. Proper insulation keeps the heat out in summer and the cold in during winter, making it easy to adequately cool or heat the home without having to run the systems on high power or for long periods.
Another factor that needs consideration is the quality of our windows and doors. Without quality windows and doors, you would find it difficult to maintain the temperature of choice in the season you find yourself.
These are insulation factors you need to take seriously as they can affect how much you spend. Besides the use of effective home insulation, there are other factors that need your attention and consideration with regards to cost.
Your Heating and Cooling Choices
Once insulation and quality windows & doors have been taken care of, another factor that requires your consideration is your choice in regards to your heating choices and how your HVAC (heating ventilation, and cooling system) equipment functions.
On this note, you are not constrained by environmental conditions meaning that keeping your bills down is totally up to you. For many, the choices made concerning their heating and cooling systems are not very wise as they install heating and cooling systems they do not fully understand.
If your home is compatible with the installation of gas fireplaces, then this would be a smart choice. You should hire a professional to make sure this choice is right for your home. Another smart choice you need to consider is your heating temperature.
Taking your home to a temperature of 74 degrees is great, but a temperature of 68 degrees is still comfortable when you put on more clothes.
The final nail on the coffin is your maintenance and constant service. When your heat pumps, air conditioners and every other system you make use of are not properly maintained, it takes more effort for them to function, and with more effort comes increased cost, affecting your bills in the end.
Is It Possible to Save Cost?
This question is more of a variable rather than a constant, which means that saving cost depends on you. We have mentioned a couple of factors to be taken into consideration by you here, and for more information, you can also contact a professional based on your situation.
Looking at whether or not air conditioning is more expensive than heating, I would say in my own experience and based on all we have highlighted, I would say that air conditioning is more expensive.
It is a factor of conditions you have control over, as we highlighted here, as well as other environmental conditions that you have no control over. Taking a look at both elements as well as the steps you have to take to make your systems perform better, it is evident that the ball is in your court.
