This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Trane Residential for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.
When we built our home, we knew nothing about nothing … really! I had to put total faith in our builder that he had our best interests at heart.
When it came to our heating and cooling systems (and other larger appliances too!), I didn’t even know the right questions to ask. After move-in day, it became apparent how lucky we were to have a high-quality custom builder. The questions we didn’t ask all turned out to have great answers!
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Building a new home? Questions to ask your contractor before you break ground
I am sharing key considerations you should make regarding the overall structure of your home and your HVAC system and other larger appliances. This will help you start off on the right foot and plan accordingly!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Trane Residential. All opinions are 100% mine.
Thank you for supporting the brands that support my blog!
Inquire About Ductwork: Energy Use and Cost. Trane Residential Knows!
Ductwork plays an important role in determining how efficient your system will be, saving you money down the road, and how comfortable your home will feel later on. If designed and installed correctly, a duct system will maximize comfort and minimize energy use.
The big question everyone wants to know is how much does it cost? If you’re replacing ductwork in a current home while renovating, or if you’re installing a new HVAC system while building a new home, adding ductwork will generally add from $2,000 to $3,000 more to the total cost of your HVAC system.
One thing to note: If your HVAC system is being installed in a difficult to reach spot, or if you are renovating a historic home that requires retrofitting, plan for the HVAC installation price to increase!
Ductless Systems
It is true, there is a such thing as a ductless system. This is a great option to control comfort in a single room of your home, without adding in the cost or difficulty of adding ductwork! You can read more about using a ductless system here.
What Size System Do You Need? How Do You Know If You Need Multiple Systems? What Does Trane Residential Say:
A large home will need a larger unit of course, or sometimes multiple systems to be able to maintain a comfortable temperature. This will need to be budgeted for because obviously this will cost more than a smaller home.
Think about windows as well. Do you have a lot of windows like we do? Making sure your home’s insulation was done properly, as well as proper seals around windows and doors, will affect your monthly heating and cooling costs!
We finished out our attic space to make a playroom for the kids. After adding a separate full bath on as well, this 3rd level became it’s own living space. Because of this we opted for a 3rd HVAC unit for this space. We wanted this space properly heated and cooled, and being that it was right under the roof meant the playroom would be affected in ways other spaces in our house wouldn’t be. It turned out that having a third unit here was the best idea to balance out the heat and air.
Make Smart Home Additions To Improve Air Quality and Save Money
Using smart tech can cut your energy bill directly! According to Trane Residential, if you set your thermostat 1 or 2 degrees higher or lower than your regular number, you’ll see a 1 to 3 percent savings in your energy bill. Setting the thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees when you leave the house for work might save you nearly 10 percent.
A key difference in a traditional thermostat and a smart thermostat is the data. A smart thermostat monitors your usage of heat and air daily and collects the data. It can tell you how much energy you’re using and estimate your costs. When you have the information, you can adjust your program (or let your thermostat handle it) to save more money and generally be more efficient with your energy usage.
Look into Trane’s XL824 Thermostat. This system is Wi-Fi enabled, is compatible with most traditional HVAC systems and can be controlled remotely.
As far as improving your home’s indoor air quality, the Trane CleanEffects™ Air Cleaner removes up to 99.98% of airborne particles. This is 8 times more effective than even the best HEPA room filters, and up to 100 times more effective than a standard 1-inch filter. Or you can use a standard Trane Comfort Performance Filter just be sure to change it out on a regular basis.
Building a home requires a lot of careful planning, so you can live for many years comfortably. Knowing what questions to ask can be a challenge (especially the ones you didn’t even know should be discussed!). To better plan for your home’s future, contact a local Trane Comfort Specialist for product suggestions to make sure your home is energy efficient, working its hardest to save you money, and meeting you and your family’s comfort needs! Find a Trane Residential dealer located near you.
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