Do Electrical Upgrades Boost HVAC Efficiency? They Do and For Good Reasons.

Want to supercharge your HVAC system and slash energy costs? At Hometown Heating, Air & Electric, we know that targeted electrical upgrades can transform your system’s performance. Serving Wisconsin homeowners, we’ve outlined the top five electrical upgrades to boost HVAC efficiency, ensuring your home stays comfortable year-round.

Why Electrical Upgrades Are Crucial for HVAC Systems

Your heating and cooling system depends on reliable electrical components to run smoothly. Outdated wiring, insufficient power, or unprotected circuits can overwork your furnace or AC, driving up costs and risking breakdowns. Electrical upgrades in Wisconsin enhance efficiency, improve safety, and reduce energy waste, keeping your home cozy and your wallet happy.

  1. Switch to a Smart Thermostat
    A smart thermostat is a game-changer for HVAC efficiency. These devices learn your daily routine, adjust temperatures automatically, and allow remote control via smartphone apps. For example, you can lower the heat when you’re at work and warm your home before you return. Wisconsin homeowners can save 10-15% on heating costs annually, and many models integrate with voice assistants like Alexa for added convenience. Upgrading is simple and delivers immediate energy savings.
  2. Install High-Efficiency Wiring
    Old or undersized wiring can choke power flow to your HVAC unit, forcing it to work harder and consume more energy. High-efficiency wiring ensures your system gets consistent, optimal power, reducing strain and improving performance. This upgrade is especially critical for older Wisconsin homes with outdated electrical systems. By modernizing your wiring, you’ll boost efficiency and prevent costly repairs. Check our energy-saving tips for more ways to optimize your home.
  3. Add a Dedicated HVAC Circuit
    When your HVAC equipment shares circuits with appliances like refrigerators or microwaves, it risks overloading your electrical system. This can lead to tripped breakers or even system failures during Wisconsin’s freezing winters. A dedicated circuit ensures your furnace or AC has exclusive access to power, guaranteeing stable operation under heavy demand. This upgrade enhances safety and reliability, especially for high-capacity systems. Learn more in our electrical safety guide.
  4. Use Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
    Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) control the speed of your HVAC system’s motors, allowing them to ramp up or down based on demand. Unlike traditional motors that run at full power constantly, VFDs optimize energy use by adjusting output in real-time. This reduces electricity consumption, lowers wear on components, and extends equipment life. For Wisconsin homeowners aiming for eco-friendly solutions, VFDs are a smart investment that aligns with sustainable living and long-term savings.
  5. Protect with Surge Protectors
    Power surges from lightning or grid fluctuations can fry sensitive HVAC components, leading to very expensive repairs. Whole-home surge protectors or unit-specific devices shield your system from these spikes, ensuring uninterrupted operation and extended lifespan. In Wisconsin, where storms are common, this upgrade is a must for protecting your investment. Pair it with regular maintenance for maximum reliability—see our maintenance guide for expert tips. Transform Your HVAC Efficiency Today.

    Ready to see if these electrical upgrades can help your home in Wisconsin? At Hometown Heating, Air & Electric our skilled technicians are ready to elevate your HVAC performance. Contact us now to schedule a free consultation and enjoy a more efficient, comfortable home all year round!

Are Electric Furnaces an Energy-Efficient Option?

In the quest for greater efficiency in your home, one important component to consider is the furnace. After all, during a Cedarburg winter, a furnace gets used extensively, resulting in significant energy usage. If you currently have a gas furnace, you may wonder if an electric furnace offers better efficiency and the possibility of a lower utility bill. By understanding how an electric furnace from Hometown Heating, Air & Electric operates, you will be well-equipped to understand the nuances of energy-efficiency when it comes to furnaces.

Turning Fuel Into Energy

The efficiency of a gas furnace is rated with a measurement called the AFUE rating. AFUE standards for annual fuel utilization efficiency. This standard looks at how efficient a furnace is at turning the fuel it uses into useful energy. Specifically, the more heat that a furnace can create from a specific amount of energy, the higher its AFUE rating will be.

A common furnace of today will have an AFUE of around 80. High-efficiency furnaces range anywhere from 90 to 98, although the high end of this range can be quite expensive. However, electric furnaces from Hometown Heating, Air & Electric beat every gas furnace in terms of efficiency since they have an equivalent AFUE rating of around 100%. This makes sense when you consider that a gas furnace has to turn its fuel into a flame, meaning that at least a small amount of the fuel that a gas furnace takes in is lost as light energy instead of being transformed into heat energy.

Not as Fast

Unfortunately, efficiency alone isn’t enough to grant you a lower utility bill, at least when it comes to furnaces. That’s because the fuel that is used by a gas furnace is utilized more effectively than in an electric furnace. In a gas furnace, the heat that is created is at a much higher temperature than in an electric furnace.

Therefore, even though some energy is inevitably lost in a gas furnace from Hometown Heating, Air & Electric, it only has to run for a short period of time to bring your home to the desired temperature. This means that a gas furnace is able to make up for any efficiency shortfalls by utilizing less fuel overall. On top of that, natural gas and fuel oil are much less expensive per unit than electricity, meaning that your utility bill will likely be less with a gas furnace even if it’s an older model with an efficiency below 80%.

Still Plenty of Perks

Although an electric furnace is more expensive to operate, there are still advantages to owning an electric furnace. For one, an electric furnace doesn’t bring with it any risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from natural gas. Although electricity can cause an electrical fire, a properly installed electric furnace is a very low-risk appliance.

Plus, electric furnaces are quieter because they don’t require a burner or a draft inducer to operate. Additionally, you can operate an electric furnace without a flue. If you don’t already have a flue installed, this can save you significant money on installation costs. Perhaps the best part of an electric furnace, though, is that its initial price is lower, making it more affordable if you need to replace your furnace but have a limited budget to do so.

An Even Better Option

If you don’t currently have gas service at your home and you need an efficient option to heat your home with electricity, a heat pump from Hometown Heating, Air & Electric is the best way to go. Heat pumps don’t require any gas to operate because they extract heat from the outside air to heat your home. All that’s needed is a marginal amount of electricity to keep the extraction process going.

For the cold Wisconsin winters, your best bet is a geothermal heat pump that utilizes the consistent ground temperature to keep your home warm. However, even an air-source heat pump can be quite useful and still save a fair amount of energy compared to a conventional electric furnace. Therefore, even with only an electric supply, you have plenty of options to keep your home comfortable this winter.

Keeping You Warm on the Coldest Days

At Hometown Heating, Air & Electric, we understand just how cold the winters around here can get. That’s why we take pride in offering superb maintenance, repair, and installation services for heating systems of all types. We can also perform those same services for air conditioners so you can stay comfortable in the summer, as well. Our many years of exceptional service has resulted in an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and countless five-star customer reviews. To learn more about your options for heating your home this winter, contact us today.