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From
Angelica Light
Senior Editor, Managing Your Money
Angelica Leicht is a managing editor for Managing Your Money at CBSNews.com, where she writes and edits articles on a variety of personal finance topics. Angelica previously served as an editor at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications.
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As the cost of living rises rapidly in today’s inflationary environment, homeowners are becoming increasingly strategic about how they spend their money. Many have put off major home renovations, put off replacing major appliances and looked for practical ways to reduce monthly expenses as daily costs remain high. But while most people check grocery bills or insurance premiums, one of the biggest drains on the household budget — a home’s heating and cooling system — often goes unnoticed to the point where it becomes impossible to ignore.
That’s because an HVAC system doesn’t have to fail to cost you a significant amount of money. An HVAC unit can continue to heat and cool your home, but at the same time it becomes less efficient, uses more electricity and causes problems that can become more expensive over time. In many cases, these problems stem from small decisions that homeowners make without realizing the financial consequences that could result.
However, the good news is that many of these costly mistakes are preventable. Knowing which habits are shortening the lifespan of your HVAC system or driving up your energy costs can help you avoid unnecessary costs. So what are the most common HVAC mistakes homeowners make that can cost you more than you bargained for? Below we go into detail about seven specific things to know.
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Table of Contents
7 Common HVAC Mistakes That Can Cost You Money
A few common missteps account for many of the unnecessary HVAC expenses homeowners face. Here are some to avoid:
Ignore regular maintenance until something breaks
Not all homeowners think about regular maintenance on their HVAC system – at least not until it stops working. And unfortunately, this is usually the most expensive time to take action. Scheduling preventive maintenance once or twice a year is typically far more cost-effective than dealing with an unexpected breakdown and is one of the reasons some homeowners choose HVAC service plans and warranties that incorporate routine inspections into the cost of ownership.
Minor problems like worn belts, dirty coils, or low refrigerant levels can often be detected during this type of routine HVAC maintenance, allowing you to catch problems before they lead to major repairs. However, waiting until the system fails could mean paying for emergency service, replacing damaged components, or even installing a new unit years earlier than expected.
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Forgot to change the air filter
A clogged air filter forces your HVAC system to work harder to move the air around your home. This increases energy consumption, reduces airflow, and places additional stress on vital components – but homeowners regularly forget to change their HVAC system’s air filter, putting their unit at risk of developing major problems over time.
Fortunately, replacing the air filter is one of the easiest maintenance tasks homeowners can perform and can help keep cooling costs under control. Depending on the type of filter you use, replacement every one to three months is generally recommended, although households with pets, smokers, or allergy sufferers may require more frequent changes.
Ignore minor repairs
An unusual noise. Short cycling. Unequal temperatures between rooms. These types of HVAC problems can be easily ignored if the system is still operating. However, if you delay the small repairs your system needs, relatively inexpensive problems can become much more costly.
A defective capacitor, a loose electrical connection or a defective thermostat can be repaired early and inexpensively. However, if left unresolved, these problems can result in compressor damage or other major component failures that cost significantly more to fix – which is one reason it’s understandable if repairs no longer make financial sense compared to replacement.
Thermostat set too low
Many people assume that drastically lowering the thermostat will allow the house to cool down more quickly. In fact, most home HVAC systems cool at a relatively constant rate, regardless of how low the thermostat is set. Generally, setting the temperature well below your desired temperature will just cause the system to run longer than necessary, increasing energy consumption without cooling the home any faster.
It makes more sense to choose the target temperature and let the HVAC system reach it naturally instead. If you’re worried about the system working too hard, a programmable or smart thermostat can also help reduce unnecessary runtime while maintaining a comfortable temperature.
Skip professional maintenance to save money
DIY maintenance has its place, but it should not completely replace professional HVAC inspections. Technicians can detect refrigerant leaks, electrical problems, worn components and airflow problems that are not obvious to homeowners. Identifying these problems early can prevent expensive repairs while helping the system operate more efficiently. And the cost of annual maintenance is often small compared to the price Replacing key HVAC components.
Purchase the cheapest replacement system
When HVAC replacement becomes necessary, choosing the most cost-effective system is not always the most cost-effective decision you can make in the long run. An incorrectly sized system or a system with lower efficiency can lead to higher energy bills, more frequent repairs and reduced comfort. A higher efficiency model may be more expensive upfront, but could reduce operating costs over the lifespan. Therefore, homeowners should compare the total costs before making a decision – not just the purchase price.
Hire a contractor based solely on price
Getting multiple estimates for HVAC repairs or replacement is smart, but automatically selecting the lowest bid may not make sense. An unusually low quote may be due to lower quality equipment, fewer services included, or installation shortcuts that impact long-term performance. Even the best HVAC equipment will not work efficiently if it is installed incorrectly. The better approach is to compare contractors based on licenses, experience, warranties, customer reviews and the details included in each quote – and remember that strategically planning your purchase can also impact what a fair price looks like – rather than simply chasing the final price.
The end result
An HVAC system is one of the most expensive and important pieces of equipment in your home, but many of the most costly mistakes are also some of the easiest to avoid. Simple habits like changing filters on time, fixing minor problems quickly, and investing in routine maintenance can help improve efficiency while reducing the risk of major repair bills.
Edited by Matt Richardson
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/common-hvac-mistakes-that-cost-money/
