(NAPSI)—Is your family suffering from a multigenerational home
energy crisis? If so, you’re not alone. Multigenerational households
are on the rise, with a record one in five Americans living in homes shared
by multiple adult generations, causing various domestic growing pains—including
skyrocketing heating and cooling bills.
With home climate control comprising the largest share of household energy
expense, a fresh look at your system might be a smart step toward averting
this mounting issue. Especially since financial factors, including staggering
child care expenses, exorbitant assisted living and nursing home costs, and
college debt, are primary causes of this shared living trend. In fact, 66
percent of adults living in a multigenerational household cite the current
economic climate as a factor, while 21 percent said it was the only factor,
according to a Harris Interactive survey conducted on behalf of Generations
United.
The good news is there are some practical tips that can help prevent home
climate control from becoming a crisis.
Enjoy a Full House AND Optimal
Energy Efficiency
Upgrading your system and installing a smart thermostat can significantly
reduce your utility expense. The most energy-efficient heating and cooling
products on the market, ductless mini-split systems, can save as much as 25
percent on your energy bill. An efficiently controlled thermostat could save
an additional 10 percent a year.
How Ductless Mini-Split Systems
Work
Thin copper tubing pumps refrigerant from an outdoor compressor directly
into an indoor air-handling unit, from where it’s quietly distributed
to the interior. This eliminates the need for basement or attic evaporators
and bulky, expensive ductwork. Mini-splits are easy to install and usually
require only a 3- to 4-inch hole through a wall or ceiling to connect the
units.
Expansion Efficiency Is Key
The “boomerang” and “reverse boomerang” effect are
the most common causes of these crowded houses as adult children continue to
return home and aging parents increasingly move in with their “boomer”
children. In response, accessory dwelling units—also known as granny
flats, in-law apartments, laneway houses and backyard cottages—are
increasingly popular.
For additional spaces, mini-splits feature custom zone control, letting
homeowners connect two to eight indoor units to a single outdoor unit. Each
zone has its own thermostat so occupants can adjust each room to the
temperature they want. Further, only occupied areas are heated, which can
represent a significant savings considering the kitchen, dining room, living
room and bedrooms are unoccupied for at least 40 percent of the time in most
households.
Be “Smart” About Home
Climate Control
Smart HVAC systems and smart thermostats can also help. Smart HVAC systems
have built-in Internet capability and can be controlled directly without
additional equipment. Smart home thermostats create “smart”
systems by enabling remote temperature control via a mobile or Internet-connected
device or voice-operated home automation system. Several leading
manufacturers, including Fujitsu General America, offer smart systems as well
as options to control its single and multi-zone Halcyon and Airstage heating and cooling systems using a third-party
smart thermostat.
“Voice” Your
Temperature Preferences
Family members can “voice” their own temperature choices. Most
HVAC manufacturers offer apps that let you control systems from anywhere
using a mobile device. Now, voice-control capability uses digital assistants,
such as Amazon Alexa, to verbally dictate home
temperatures—“Alexa, set the living
room temperature to 70 degrees.” For instance, Fujitsu’s free FGLair app enables Web-activated control via mobile
devices and voice-activated control via Amazon Alexa.
You don’t have to let a multigenerational home energy crisis
overshadow the blessing of family bonding.
Learn More
For further information or to find a contractor nearby, call (888)
888-3424 or visit www.fujitsugeneral.com.
“Leveraging the
latest, most efficient climate control systems and technologies such as those
from Fujitsu General America can protect your home energy budget, even in a
multigenerational household. http://bit.ly/2IGo6Q9”
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)