SAN JOSE — With all the energy efficiency requirements and incentives coming out in California, many homeowners are reconsidering their energy usage, especially as it pertains to things like heating. Some are even making the switch from traditional gas heating to electric or hybrid heating systems. If you’re considering one of these options, make sure you get the information you need to make a good decision. Here’s some basic info about three home heating options.

Gas heat

A gas-powered, forced air furnace is the traditional mode of heating a home. The main benefit a furnace offers is comfort, as the forced air gives you that warm, cozy feeling. The main drawback is it runs on natural gas, which produces carbon monoxide. Besides polluting the environment, this requires you to have your furnace maintained and inspected regularly for safety.

In terms of energy efficiency, today’s furnaces range from 80% to 99% efficiency. What does this mean? With an 80% efficient furnace, for example, 80% of the gas goes toward heating your home and the other 20% goes out your roof. At the end of the day, 100% of the cost comes out of your wallet, so it’s easy to see the advantage of a higher efficiency furnace.

Electric heat

Electric heating systems run on heat pumps. Unlike a forced air heater, a heat pump doesn’t generate heat; rather, it collects heat from outside and transfers it into the home (sort of like a reverse air conditioner). In order for an electric heating system to make sense financially, it typically needs to be combined with solar power. A solar-powered heat pump system will allow you to heat your home at little to no cost. It’s also a cleaner way to heat your home, as it doesn’t introduce any natural gas into the atmosphere.

While electric heating may be affordable and clean, it does have a couple of drawbacks in the way of comfort. A heat pump will certainly heat your home, but it won’t give you that toasty feeling you get from a forced air furnace. Additionally, a heat pump needs to intermittently kick into defrost mode to remove frost from the outside coil, which requires the air conditioner to turn on for about 10 minutes. This usually happens in the morning, when the system first turns on for the day.

Hybrid heat

Also known as a dual fuel system, a hybrid heating system offers the best of both worlds by utilizing either gas or electric heat depending on the outdoor temperature. You can set your gas furnace to turn on if the temperature goes below a certain threshold, which will give you that warm, cozy feeling. On warmer days, the system will utilize the heat pump to minimize energy consumption and air pollution. Thanks to this dual functionality, you won’t have to sacrifice comfort for energy efficiency or vice versa.

SAN JOSE — There’s a lot of talk about ductless mini-splits these days, and for good reason. While ductless systems have been around since 1959, they’ve only recently gained popular acceptance as an alternative to central heating and cooling.

Ductless mini-splits are powered by electricity and have both heating and cooling capabilities. A mini-split system consists of an outdoor condenser/compressor unit and individual units (usually wall-mounted) that are situated in each of the home’s rooms. Mini-splits don’t rely on air ducts to deliver conditioned air to the home; rather, the indoor and outdoor units are connected by copper tubing lines that circulate refrigerant between each unit’s coils.

Here are some of the benefits a ductless system offers:

Custom climate control

Whereas a centralized HVAC system heats/cools the entire house to a uniform temperature, ductless mini-splits offer a customized approach to climate control by allowing you to adjust the temperature in individual rooms. Likewise, you have the option to heat or cool some rooms and not others, which can save you money on your energy bills.

Improved energy efficiency

Since mini-splits don’t rely on ductwork (which is where the majority of heat loss or gain occurs in a ducted system), they can greatly reduce your home’s carbon footprint.

Easy installation

Ductless mini-splits are a particularly good option for homes that don’t already have central heating and cooling, as they’re much easier to install. This also makes them a good heating and cooling solution for home additions.

Low maintenance

If you use a ductless system, you’ll never have to clean your air ducts again.

SAN JOSE — Whether your current thermostat is broken or you’re just ready to upgrade to a programmable model, replacing a thermostat is a cost-effective way to improve your home energy efficiency. Fortunately, thermostat replacement is something you can easily perform yourself. Here are some simple steps to follow:

1. Determine which type of thermostat is compatible for your system. For instance, the most common type for a 24-volt system is a universal thermostat. However, this won’t work for baseboard heating, which is a different application.

2. Turn off the power to your heating unit. Typically, there will be a switch located either on your furnace or on the wall next to the furnace.

3. Remove your old thermostat from the wall, and pay attention to the color and configuration of the wires (i.e., R to red and W to white).

4. Attach the new thermostat to the wall and reconnect the wires in the correct configuration.

5. Put the cover on the thermostat and restore power to the furnace.

6. Test the furnace to make sure it operates properly. If you have air conditioning, you should test that as well.

7. Once you’ve determined that everything is working properly, you can program your new thermostat.

Throughout the process, it’s important to reference the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure both safety and correct installation.

SAN JOSE — If your air conditioning system doesn’t seem to be functioning properly, your first inclination may be to call a professional. However, in many instances, you may be able to identify and fix the issue yourself, which will save you the cost of an unnecessary service call.

When an air conditioner doesn’t seem to be operating at full strength or effectively cooling your home, you might assume it needs to be repaired. However, it’s possible that you’ve simply forgotten to set the thermostat to the “cool” setting or to a low enough temperature. Another factor that may affect the performance of your air conditioning unit is dirty or clogged components such as the filter or evaporator coil. Before calling a professional, clean these components and see if it makes a noticeable improvement.

Other times, an air conditioning unit may appear to not be working at all. In this instance, first make sure the unit is connected to power. Next, check your electrical circuit or fuse box to make sure the problem isn’t being caused by a tripped breaker or blown fuse. If there aren’t any power issues, it may be something more serious like a blown motor or compressor, in which case you’ll need professional assistance.