It’s air conditioning time, and if the thought of opening that electric bill has you hot under the collar, try some of these uncomplicated suggestions to reduce your energy consumption while staying comfy in your home:
Temperature management – Set your thermostat to 78° Fahrenheit. For every degree lower, the energy cost goes up by 6 percent. (Source – U.S. Department of Energy website). A programmable thermostat can save you cash and you’ll never even notice because you can set it to increase the temperature in your home when you’re not there and to decrease it again before you return. Why cool your home when no one is there to enjoy it? You can also raise it a little in the evening when your family is sleeping. always increase it when you leave for family vacation.
Keep the Fan Switch ON – Your thermostat offers you the alternative of having your fan come on only when your AC is on or having it on continually. If you leave the fan on even when the AC isn’t running, you’ll circulate the air in your home, and it will really feel cooler. That way, you can fix the temperature a little warmer and not feel too hot. Also, mixing the air helps make the temperature more stable in the home from room to room and from floor to floor.
Examine the Direction of Your Ceiling Fan – When you stop under your ceiling fan, look upward and verify that the blades are turning counter clockwise. This will blow the air downward generating a “wind chill” scenario and making it feel cooler.
Air Conditioner Tune-Up – quite a few homeowners underestimate the importance of annual maintenance for their air conditioner. In addition to safety reasons, a tune-up confirms that your system is operating at optimum efficiency, thus saving more money than the price of the tune up. If you have not yet had your AC looked at this year, call for air conditioner service Right now and begin saving on utility bills as soon as possible.
Clean Your outdoor Air Conditioner Coil – There are a variety of items in the air that settle on your coil and cause your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to, thus escalating your air conditioner bill. Dandelion spores, cotton seed, grass trimmings, leaves and dryer lint can all end up on your coil. Rinse it off when you see particles on it.
Change Your Filter – Have you heard that airflow complications can lower an air conditioner’s overall performance by up to 15 percent? Make sure you clean or replace your one-inch air filter monthly. Otherwise, your air conditioner will be made to work for a longer time to satisfy the thermostat and your energy consumption increases.
apart from reducing bills, these basic actions will also help your air conditioner last longer before you’re forced to replace it and install a new one.
