As a homeowner, you likely dread having to pay for those costly summertime cooling bills. However, running your air conditioning unit is a must to keep you and your family comfortable and safe throughout the long summer season. Fortunately, you can still enjoy running your cooling system while saving some green on your energy bills by simply employing the tips that we’re going to go over below.
Get a Smart Thermostat
One of the best steps you can take to reduce your summertime cooling bills is to install a smart thermostat. This thermostat allows you to program in different temperature settings at different times. For example, you can turn up your thermostat for those times of the day when no one is home. Then, have the temperature back down to a comfortable level before you arrive back home.
With a smart thermostat, you’ll be given energy-efficient setting suggestions after it monitors your usage. By optimizing your energy usage, you can help to reduce your energy bills throughout the summertime months. Even better, you can easily control your thermostat from your smartphone, so you can make changes to your settings at home or on the go.
Use Ceiling Fans
A good home cooling strategy needs to include the use of ceiling fans. These fans work well to blow air down onto you when positioned to run in a counterclockwise direction. Just that simple breeze can make you feel much cooler than the ambient room temperature actually is. This means that you may even be able to turn the temperature up on your thermostat and still remain just as comfortable while relaxing at home.
Use Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans are strategically installed throughout your home to remove unwanted steam and hot air. When cooking on the stove or taking a hot shower, be sure to turn on the exhaust fan so that steamy air can be directly vented to the outdoors. If you don’t use your fans, that humid air will make it feel like it’s much hotter in your home. This can translate to you turning the thermostat down to create a more comfortable environment.
Seal Up Air Leaks
Air leaks can be a big problem when it comes to keeping your home cool. If warm air can seep in around your doors and windows, your air conditioning system will be constantly running to cool your place back down. You can easily seal up these air gaps with weatherstripping or caulking. Be sure to also check the outlets and light switches on your exterior walls. If you feel airflow at them, use specialized foam inserts to better insulate them.
Insulate
If you live in an older home, it may be lacking the proper amount of insulation. Since insulation is the barrier between your cool indoor air and the warm outside air, it only makes sense to make this barrier as thick as possible. Check to see if your home currently has insulation and, if so, what its R-value is. You want your new insulation to have an R-value that at least meets the minimum standards set by the building code in your area.
Replace Dirty Filters
Your HVAC system will have an air filter that is responsible for removing unwanted airborne allergens, such as dust and pet dander, from the air in your home. When this filter gets dirty, your cooling system will be overworked, trying to force air through it. This can cause a rise in the run-time of your AC system, which translates to higher energy bills.
Upgrade Your Cooling System
If your cooling system is over 10 years old, it’s likely time to start thinking about an upgrade. HVAC systems continue to get more energy-efficient as the years go by. By upgrading from your current system, you can enjoy a more energy-efficient cooling system that will save you money on its operation costs throughout the long summer months.
Get Annual Service
A must-do to ensure that your cooling system is operating at peak efficiency is to get an annual inspection by a licensed HVAC technician. They will be able to inspect your system, lubricate moving parts, clean off unwanted residue, and so much more. This all works in unison to ensure that your unit is working as efficiently as it can to produce cool air. The more efficient your system is, the less money you’ll spend on summertime utility bills.
Reliable Cooling Service
Arce Heating & AC offers reliable cooling service for the whole Fort Mill, SC community. We would also be glad to help with all of your heating and duct cleaning needs — ask us about our AC maintenance. Simply call us today to schedule your next service consultation.
