Seasonal homes: now with year-round lifestyles?

• by Robies
•  on October 5, 2021

Calling all seasonal residents! You take as much pride in your Cape Cod home — and in your family’s comfort — as you do for your primary residence. But, after all, it is a seasonal home, perhaps also providing a bit of rental income. Shouldn’t you be careful about how much money you put into it?

We hear you. Even though house prices have been skyrocketing, you need to be mindful of the long-term return on your investment. But let’s make sure you’re working with the right numbers. Often, our customers find, adding cooling — or creating better heating — for their homes may be far less expensive than they would have thought.

First, let’s talk about window air conditioners. It’s 2021. We seriously suggest you get rid of them — and soon! The energy cost to run those things is astronomical, that cooled air quickly leaks outside, and… well, there’s no way to sugar-coat it; they’re loud and ugly.
That doesn’t mean you have to install a complete, entire-house central air conditioning system to keep your family and guests cool during the summer. While a central system from Carrier® may be super-quiet, energy efficient, maintain a precise temperature day or night and perhaps be less expensive than you may have thought, it’s not the only option.

Instead, many of our seasonal home customers have decided to have us install “ductless” or “mini-split” units to cool their entire homes — or just for parts of their homes. They are inexpensive to install, free up your windows for Cape Cod views, and are far more efficient than any window unit ever will be. Select units can also provide heating in the off-season, too. They’re very popular for selected living areas or bedrooms, three-season rooms, even garages and attics.

Whatever the system, an array of terrific rebates are available from Massachusetts state agencies and energy providers to bring down the cost. Additionally, manufacturers offer rebates during their slower times of the year—including up to $3050 from Carrier right now. Adding to that, Robies will also reduce our installation charge after the summer peak period has passed.

Next, let’s touch on the subject of heating. As you may have heard, the moratorium on new connections to the Cape’s natural gas energy grid has ended, so those who have been considering a switch from oil or electric heat to a gas furnace can now take advantage of the clean, low-cost comfort provided by gas heat. Whether it’s by using a gas furnace (pushing warm air through ducts into your home) or a boiler (delivering hot water to baseboard radiators to warm the surrounding air), gas heating is a significant improvement in minimizing hot/cold spots and in reducing your energy bills.

Carrier’s gas furnaces are up to 98.5% efficient. Yes, that means that almost all of the natural gas your system consumes will end up creating warm comfort during the shoulder seasons and winter — when many of our area’s part-time homes are getting more and more use these days. The old logic of “Well, we’re rarely here in the off-season” just doesn’t apply anymore.

Another idea to keep in mind: more and more of our seasonal homeowners are skipping fossil fuels altogether and going with Carrier’s advanced line of intelligent heat pumps which deliver both warmth and air conditioning to entire homes, as needed. Paired with an intelligent control, these units actively monitor conditions both inside and outside your home to select just the right settings for the moment. This allows the system to operate longer at steadier, lower capacities, which ensures incredible energy efficiency and quiet operation with tighter temperature control than standard systems. And if you’re considering adding solar panels to your roof to reduce electric bills, the energy savings will be even greater.

For a limited time, every purchase of Carrier’s Infinity line of components comes with Carrier’s Infinity Air Purifier. In addition to creating generally healthier air, free of bacteria and particulates, this device is certified to isolate and inactivate 99% of Coronavirus from a home’s indoor air. It’s a real bonus right now, and it’s a reason to not delay if you have any thought at all to improving your home’s HVAC systems.
How to go about deciding whether or not now is the time to make one of these improvements to your seasonal home? That’s where our experienced staff comes in. The entire Robies team is trained in today’s HVAC technology and systems, and we have the resources and skills to provide an honest evaluation and cost/benefit analysis. All with no obligation. Give is a call at 800-698-4522 to schedule a visit this fall.