3-Step Money-Saving Hack For Home Repair

by Pierce Refrigeration


Posted on November 26, 2019 at 10:10 AM


Pierce Refrigeration points out different issues you may be having with your HVAC equipment that require professional attention.

In today’s fast-paced world, everyone needs hacks to manage time and activities more efficiently.

There are a lot of DIY HVAC videos out there for hacking such tasks as repairing heat pumps, air conditioner tune-ups, changing an air filter on a ductless mini-split, and many others.

Often times, while the task may appear simple (like windsurfing), the practical part quickly turns complicated (like holding up a 5 square-meter sail in a strong wind).

HVAC jobs gets done without a worry by Pierce Refrigeration.

All our HVAC technicians bring a deep skillset of hands-on factory training and high-level hacks to the job that don’t always translate into a 5-minute video. Scheduled maintenance and repairs by factory-authorized technicians are hands-down the best ways to get the optimal performance and energy efficiency out of your heating and cooling system.

As a budget-conscience homeowner, you also don’t want to spend frivolously on home heating and cooling equipment.

Free estimates by a nearby, factory-trained HVAC contractor.

The 3-step money-saving hack for home repair works to save money on heating and air conditioning installation and maintenance, and any other home-related expense.

To illustrate how the 3-step money-saving hack works, the following model applies the methodology to the question: Should I upgrade my gas furnace?


1. Assess:

Lower energy costs with ENERGY STAR-rated equipment in Massachusetts.

Even if the furnace came with the house, it may not be properly sized. Also, there may be other utilities available now that weren’t when the house was built.

Always examine your current situation. You can hire a fully licensed HVAC contractor to inspect your existing furnace and then offer suggestions for improving energy efficiency and performance.

Massachusetts residents can get a valuable, free home-energy audit from Mass Save®. In addition to assessing your existing furnace, the energy auditor will look at how your entire house uses energy and make suggestions for improvements.

While you assess your current situation, look at your future goals. This is an important part of the hack. For instance, assuming your furnace is the correct size, why were you thinking of upgrading? Was the goal to heat a future three-season room or accessory dwelling? Is your bedroom cold at night?

Make sure to thoroughly define your goal. For this model, the goal will be to heat the future home office in the basement.


2. Invest:

Massachusetts businesses prefer Pierce Refrigeration HVAC and refrigeration.

You’re going to spend money, whether you do it yourself or hire a pro, and it’s not always easy to tell which way is going to be a better value.

Always hire a fully bonded and insured HVAC contractor with a long-standing reputation in the community to install a new energy-efficient gas furnace.

But when applying this hack to more general home repairs, consider this: You don’t need to hire an electrician to change a lightbulb. However, if you try to change an outlet to save money and start a fire, clearly hiring the electrician would’ve been the less expensive option.

In the case of our model example, heating the future home office in the basement, most likely the two choices would be to extend ductwork from the existing heating system (and possibly need to upgrade to a larger furnace) or install a ductless mini-split.

Research all the rebates, incentives, and financing you can from Mass Save® and manufacturers to get the best prices on both options and compare.

If an HVAC technician determines your current furnace could heat a basement office, it may be more affordable to simply install new duct work.

Or, you may consider installing a ductless mini-split with air handlers in the basement and (your cold) bedroom. You can run them both off the same heat pump. In this case, the overall investment may be more than just heating the basement, but you’d be solving two problems!


3. Maintain:

Regular maintenance is always a better value than emergency repairs.

Keep all the owner’s manuals of your major appliances in a convenient location. Set your calendar reminders for such ongoing tasks as annual tune-ups and monthly air filter checks to keep your equipment performing at its best for as long as possible.

For every year you skip scheduled service on your furnace it loses on average 5% of its efficiency, according to many industry experts.

Plus, without proper maintenance, you’re equipment won’t be doing all it could for you

Back to the model example, installing a ductless mini-split in the basement provides heat and air conditioning. By keeping the filter in the air handler working, the mini-split also removes dust from the air. Upgrade to a more sophisticated filter, and you can eliminate bacteria, viruses, mold, pollen, pet dander, and more.

So, with a simple filter upgrade and regular cleaning, the ductless mini-split will purify your air and control moisture and dust, both of which result in mold. Heat, air conditioning, and indoor air quality all from one investment. That’s getting a lot for your money.


Conclusion:

When faced with any home repair challenge, assess the problem and your needs, invest in finding the best solution at an affordable price, and maintain your investment to maximize its value.


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If your question isn’t answered here, contact the Pierce Refrigeration team and one of our experts will guide you in finding your solution.
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The Pierce team focuses entirely on heating, air conditioning and indoor air quality. We understand these technologies, work with them every day, and our people are factory-trained and fully certified.

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