6 HVAC Upgrades You Should Consider for Your Palm Desert Home
When it’s time to replace your Palm Desert, CA, home’s heating and cooling system, it’s wise to consider a system upgrade. These system advancements and additions provide features that maximize your comfort while minimizing energy usage. Here are six HVAC upgrades to consider when replacing your Palm Desert home’s heating and cooling system.
Variable-Speed Compressor Motor
If you’re considering a new heat pump or air conditioner, choose one with a variable-speed motor. Instead of operating at 100% capacity during a heating cycle, its compressor operates at the lowest necessary speed to reach the temperature setting on your thermostat. Variable-speed compressor motors have longer cycles, so they deliver warm air for an extended period of time. This also leads to better air filtration. According to the Department of Energy, variable-speed motors use 40% to 50% less energy compared to single-speed compressors.
Variable-speed Fan Motor
Gas furnaces used air handlers to push the heated air through ducts. The air handler’s fan is a key part of this forced-air system. When choosing a gas furnace, upgrade to a variable-speed fan motor. They’re similar to a variable-speed compressor motor in a heat pump. This type of fan operates at a range of speeds and continuously delivers warm air to your home. Upgrading to a variable-speed fan motor could lower your home’s heating costs by as much as 75%.
Energy Recovery Ventilator
An energy recovery ventilator is an ideal upgrade for homes in Palm Desert. The area’s low humidity means that homes here benefit from the moisture-retaining features of these systems. An energy recovery ventilator retains the heat and moisture from the flue gases and uses it to heat the new fresh outdoor air that it brings into your home. This process optimizes your comfort and reduces energy use. Bringing in fresh air is also better for your health, especially during the winter months of the year when the common cold and flu circulate through households. Energy recovery ventilators also reduce the workload on your air conditioning system during the scorching summers in Palm Desert, so you’ll benefit from their energy efficiency all year long.
Whole-Home Air Cleaner or Purifier
If you’re like most Americans, you spend about 90% of your time indoors. Most of that time is spent in your home. Your home’s air could be up to five times more polluted than the air in your backyard, explains the Environmental Protection Agency. When you’re replacing your heating and cooling system, consider adding a whole-home air filtration, cleaning or purification system. A UV air purifier can be installed in your home’s ducts. These devices use UV-C energy to inactivate germs and other biological materials. A whole-home air purifier may use ozone or electrostatic plates to capture tiny particles before they enter your living areas. It’s also a good idea to upgrade your heating and air conditioning system’s filter. Select one that has a minimum efficiency reported value (MERV) rating of 14 or higher for better indoor air quality.
Whole-House Humidifier
The dry air in Palm Desert makes the oppressive summer heat less intense, but it also makes the cool winter nights feel chillier. With typical winter humidity levels between 10% and 15%, your skin may feel dry, rough and irritated. The low humidity also dries your nasal passages, which increases your risk of catching a respiratory illness. A whole-home humidifier adds some moisture to the air, which helps you feel more comfortable. This system can help you maintain an ideal indoor humidity level of 30% to 50%.
Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat gives you total control over your home’s temperature. You can program a schedule, so there’s no need to manually adjust anything. Smart thermostats use algorithms to learn your schedule. They also incorporate geofencing. By pairing the thermostat with an app on your phone, the system anticipates your arrival and times heating and cooling cycles accordingly. You can also make adjustments to your home’s temperature with the app.
To learn more about HVAC upgrades that will benefit your Palm Desert home, take a look at Palm Desert Air Conditioning and Heating Co.’s dependable HVAC services, or give our HVAC contractors a call today.