Invest in good insulation

If your home has inadequate insulation, even the best HVAC system in the world will struggle to keep up. Heating accounts for approximately 29 percent of your utility bill, according to the Department of Energy. In an uninsulated home, this amount can easily double, and it will be higher in an improperly insulated one.

When discussing insulation, one term that is frequently used is R-Value. The higher the resistance, or R-Value, of your home, the better. If the R-Value of your home is adequate for your climate zone, your HVAC system should have no problem keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. You can use this Home Energy Saver calculator to determine the recommended R-Value for homes in your area based on zip code.