The cool breezes of an air conditioner are incredibly refreshing during the harsh heat of summer. However, air conditioning systems use a lot of energy. It’s common to notice massive spikes in your energy bills as summer rolls around, but you don’t have to drain your bank account to keep your home cool. You also don’t have to suffer uncomfortable temperatures to save some money. To create a cool environment in your home while also saving as much money as possible, follow these helpful tips.
1. Get Your Air Filters Changed Regularly
Getting your air filters replaced regularly is not only a vital part of air conditioner maintenance, but it’s also a major factor in keeping your energy bills down in summer. A dirty air filter forces your air conditioner to work harder to move cool air through the system. Without strong airflow, it takes much longer for your air conditioning system to effectively cool down your home. Running the system for longer than necessary is a needless waste of energy and money.
Ensuring that the air filter is always as clean and unobstructed as possible throughout the summer allows your air conditioner to cool your home much more efficiently.
As a general rule, get your air filter replaced at least once every three months to keep your air conditioning system in proper working order. If you have pets, it’s best to change the air filter more frequently because of pet dander and fur buildup. Check the air filter monthly to ensure that it’s not getting clogged sooner than expected.
2. Have Air Ducts Inspected and Repaired
Never underestimate the impact that your air ducts have on the efficiency of your air conditioning system. No matter how well your air conditioner is running or how clean your air filter is, it won’t mean much if your air ducts are damaged.
When you have cracks, holes, open seams or other leaks in your air ducts, it allows the cool air to escape. In addition, these cracks and gaps allow hot air to seep into the ducts, which then gets blown into the various rooms of your home. The issue of hot air becomes even worse in homes where the air ducts are installed in the ceiling since temperatures within an attic can skyrocket to over 140 degrees.
Before the start of summer, have your air ducts inspected by a professional air conditioner technician. They can pinpoint any areas of damage or leaks and repair them to ensure that your air conditioning system runs at maximum efficiency.
3. Use a Smart Thermostat
There are numerous thermostat settings that you can manually change to improve your energy usage with your air conditioner. However, a much better and more convenient option is to have a smart thermostat installed.
With a smart thermostat, you can control your air conditioner remotely. You won’t have to worry about accidentally leaving the air conditioning running when no one is home, which is a huge waste of energy. You can even set schedules to ensure that the system is always off when you and your family are away at school or work.
Smart thermostats also track weather patterns to offer suggestions on adjustments to settings for particularly hot or cold days. Through the app, you can also use your smart thermostat to track energy usage to further improve the efficiency of your air conditioner.
On average, the use of a smart thermostat saves households 8% on their energy bills. However, some homeowners have reported as high as a 23% reduction in their energy costs while using a smart thermostat. Having a smart thermostat professionally installed in your home will allow you to make your house as comfortable as possible while also saving money on your energy bills.
4. Have Blackout Curtains or Shades Installed
One of the main ways your home rapidly heats up in summer is by absorbing sunlight beaming through your windows. Normal shades and curtains reduce the amount of sunlight coming into your home and help cool each room. However, most normal shades and curtains still allow a significant amount of light and heat into your home. Blackout curtains or shades are designed to block out as much light and heat as possible.
When the rooms in your home are cooling off naturally, your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard or as long as it normally would. Blackout curtains or shades can reduce heat gain in any room within your home by up to 24%. You can enjoy massive savings on your energy bills in summer by having blackout curtains installed throughout your home.
5. Run Fans
Another great way to help your air conditioner be more efficient is by improving the airflow within your home. Stronger airflow helps move the cool air into your room while removing the warm air. Running a fan is a great way to improve airflow in any room. Fans don’t consume nearly as much energy as air conditioners, and they provide an additional breeze to help you and your family feel cooler.
A ceiling fan is one of the best options for improving airflow within a room. They have large blades and powerful motors to blow air more strongly than standing fans. Additionally, they’re designed to help cool entire rooms as opposed to standing fans that are designed to move air in one small area.
6. Have a Home Energy Assessment Performed
Your air conditioner can only reach a certain degree of efficiency by itself. To be at maximum efficiency and save money on your energy bills, the rest of your house needs to be energy efficient as well. A great way to determine the efficiency level of your home is by having a professional perform a home energy assessment.
This assessment will involve analyzing your home from top to bottom to check for any issues that may be negatively affecting the energy efficiency of your house. They will check the walls and attic for adequate insulation levels, analyze your air conditioning and heating systems for wear and tear or damage, and they’ll check for gaps in your doorways and windows that are allowing hot air to seep into your home.
Getting a home energy assessment performed by a professional technician and following their instructions on getting repairs and adjustments done to your home can save you anywhere from 10% to 30% on your energy bills.
If your air conditioning system needs repairs or maintenance to help maximize efficiency and keep your home cool over the summer without emptying your wallet, you can trust our knowledgeable professionals at True Climate Heat + Air to provide you with skilled and experienced service. In addition to air conditioner repair, maintenance and installation, we also offer installation, repair and maintenance services for heaters, air scrubbers, water heaters, toilets, garbage disposals and more. To learn more about any of the services we provide to the areas in and around the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area, contact us at True Climate Heat + Air today.
