It’s Summer, it’s HOT and we all want some relief when we walk into our homes. Not only do we want our air conditioning to be working in tip-top condition, but it’s important that it’s EFFICIENT. Do you feel like you’re payingmore money every summer to cool your home? You’re not alone.
Every year, Americans pay almost $30 billion collectively to run their AC systems. About 6 percent of all the electricity used in the U.S. on an annual basis powers air conditioners. If you want to avoid having your energy bills skyrocket this summer, there are a series of air conditioning tips you can use to prevent it. These tips will make your AC unit more efficient and bring down your bills in a hurry.
Check out these 7 hacks that will help improve the efficiency of your AC unit:
1. Keep the Doors Closed
Remember how your mom always yelled at you to close the door behind you? Turns out she had a point. Every time the kids rush out to play and leave the back door open, you’re letting the conditioned air out and hot air IN. Your AC is forced to cycle on and work harder to maintain comfortably cool air, which is inefficient and adds substantially to your energy bill. Remember…don’t air condition the outside!
2. Close Curtains, Blinds, and Shades During the Day
On sunny days, it might feel nice to open up your curtains, blinds, and shades to let a little bit of sunlight to stream in. You might even be tempted to keep them open all day long to let as much natural light into your home as possible. This is a very bad idea. When the sun shines right into your home, it’ll bring plenty of heat along with it. The temperature in your home will go up, especially if you let the sun shine into your home in the middle of the day. Stop this from happening by closing up your window treatments on sunny days in the Spring, Summer, and even Fall. It’ll prevent the sun from taking a toll on the temperature of your home and give your AC system a break.
3. Turn Your AC Temp Up When You’re Not Home
It feels great to walk into an ice-cold home at the end of a long summer day, especially if you have a job that requires you to work outside. But do you really need it to be 65 degrees in your house during the day when no one is home? No. Your AC system will use about 5 percent less energy for every degree that you add to your thermostat setting in the Summer. That means that you should get into the habit of turning your temperature up to around 78 degrees when no one is going to be home. This will prevent your AC from turning on and staying on when there isn’t anyone home to enjoy the cold air it’s producing. It’ll also stop your energy bills from soaring throughout the summer.
Even better, get a programmable thermostat so you can make this an automatic setting so you don’t forget. You can even program it so the temp dips back down to cool things off before you get home.
4. Replace Your Air Filter on a Regular Basis
When is the last time you changed the air filter in your AC system? If you’re scratching your head right now and struggling to remember, there’s a good chance your AC’s air filter could be dragging down its efficiency. Both furnaces and AC systems use air filters. You should replace them at least once every three months. You should also consider replacing them more often than that if you smoke in your house or have pets. Your air filter will keep the air circulating through your AC system clean. It’ll put less of a strain on your AC system and allow it to run as efficiently as it can.
5. Check and Vacuum Vents Monthly
As well as checking the air filters, you should add inspecting and vacuuming the vents to your AC maintenance schedule. Pet fur, dust, and general debris build up quickly in HVAC vents and even a small amount impacts the efficacy of your cooling system. Additionally, furniture and furnishings can move an inch or two without you noticing and end up partially covering a vent. So perform basic vent inspections every month and give each one a quick vacuum to keep them clear.
6. Keep Debris Away From Your Exterior Unit
If your outdoor condenser unit is surrounded by plants and debris, it won’t be as efficient. Take the time to clear away any dirt and debris. Remove weeds and cut back plant overgrowth to allow proper airflow around the unit and improve air conditioning efficiency throughout your home. Ideally, leave an empty 4-foot radius around the condenser unit.
7. Get Preventative Maintenance for Your AC
The most important thing to do for your AC system to ensure it’s prepped and ready for Summer is to have your preventative maintenance done in the Spring—we usually complete these during March, April and May. Doing this will ensure that your AC is ready to go once things start to heat up and catch any problems early to prevent failures on the hottest Summer days. It’ll also extend the lifespan of your AC system and prevent you from having to replace it anytime soon.
Put These Air Conditioning Tips to Good Use Today!
On an uncomfortably hot summer day, your air conditioning system is the most important thing in your house. Make sure you’re staying cool and comfy at home by using the air conditioning tips found here. Plus, you can cut your energy costs while still allowing your AC to keep your home nice and cool!
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Pro-Tech HVAC Home offers new installation, replacement, repairs and maintenance of heating and air conditioning systems in the Annapolis area. Our customers rely on us for honest and reliable service for air conditioners, heat pumps, gas furnaces, Mitsubishi systems, and more. We’re happy to answer questions, troubleshoot, and help you choose the best HVAC system for you and your family. We’re always happy to help answer your questions, so please give us a call or send us an email.