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It's that time of year again in Florida, so grab your knitted caps and long coats to weather those frigid 60° temperatures. If you've stumbled upon this blog as a northerner, you wouldn't understand - Floridians aren't used to sub-tropical weather.
But for those freezing Floridians, it's tough to acclimate to the winter days and nights. Normally, the AC is blasting cool air, not hot. So, overcoming the winter involves a few adjustments.
Check out these HVAC hacks on surviving the winter in Florida.
Is it feeling a little drafty in here?
The best way to stay warm and cozy this winter is to keep the warm air inside your walls. The air tends to escape enclosed spaces, and it'll take the path of least resistance in its exodus.
You might not have the proper equipment to make sure that your walls and attic are properly insulated, but you should caulk your windows and other joints. Every half-decade or so, homeowners should redo their caulking to prevent drafts.
You'll notice immediate savings in your energy bill. This will reflect your housekeeping the warm in, which causes the HVAC to work less. Less work, less energy used.
You might be tempted to pinch off some of the air ducts or close the vents to rooms that you don't frequent. Perhaps you close the door to the bathroom or a bedroom to prevent escaping heat.
This is, actually, bad practice. It's a terrible myth that has somehow propagated throughout the generations.
Engineers design HVACs for peak efficiency. The overall structure of the air ducts facilitates the perfect flow of air throughout the house.
When there's an impediment, such as a vent closed or a door shut, you're interfering with the HVAC's efficiency. Leave it alone; it can regulate itself well. You're only causing it to work less than optimally, and it's costing you money and overall heat.
A lot of Floridians turn to room heaters, heating ovens, or other devices to warm the cool rooms. They may even be tempted to turn off the HVAC in preference of the other devices.
This is a huge mistake that'll cost you money and heat efficiency.
You're billed per kilowatt of electricity. Small heaters, ovens, and other devices aren't efficient in scale compared to a central heating unit. The output of these devices isn't high enough to warrant their use by themselves.
However, they're good complements to the HVAC. Use them in conjunction with the heater to save money and to keep the house nice 'n' toasty.
It's so cold in Florida this time of year (at least for those readers that aren't Minnesotan). Getting the most out of your heating unit with HVAC hacks is the best way to get through the winter.
You should insulate your house with fresh caulking. Don't block vents or close doors to unused rooms, it hurts the HVAC efficiency. Try to use space heaters in conjunction with your heating unit.
Are you trying to survive the winter and need some help with your HVAC? Let us know, we've got you covered.