Top 5 Tips To Reduce Your Air Conditioning Bill
The air conditioning unit plays an important role in any building. During the hot summer months when the temperature rises and the heat becomes unbearable, homeowners can rely on their air conditioning units to keep them cool and shielded from the raging heat.
However, despite the advantages offered by this installation, many homeowners soon notice an unusual spike in their energy bills. This unusual spike, when traced could be due to the use of their air conditioning unit. To ensure that the air conditioning unit remains energy-efficient, there are certain tips that can be adopted.
This article explores some of the tips that help homeowners save money on their energy bills while getting the best out of their air conditioning units.
Use Ceiling Fans
Many people often get rid of their ceiling fans the moment they have an air conditioner installed. However, this may be a counterproductive step, especially when energy-efficiency is the focus.
Turning on your ceiling fan while the air conditioner is running circulates cool air around the home and takes some pressure off of the AC. By coupling fans and air conditioning units, homeowners may be able to save as much as 40% of their electricity costs.
While fans do not necessarily make the home cooler, they do help in spreading cool and fresh air.
Focus On Your Windows
One reason why your air conditioning bill may be rising is that your home is getting hotter due to intense sunlight beams reflecting into your home. The hotter the temperature inside, the higher you will have to crank up your air conditioning unit, and this means more money in energy bills at the end of the month.
A great way to reduce this pressure off of your Air conditioning unit and reduce the energy bills is to invest in curtains and window blinds that can block the entry of light into your home. You can also invest in energy efficient windows that improve insulation within the home while also reducing the chances of heat exchange.
Another option is to add window tints to your windows. by tinting your windows, you reduce the amount of sunlight it lets in.
You should also take your time to seal leaks around your windows. Window leaks provide an avenue for heat exchange which puts more pressure on your air conditioner to cool the home.
Install A Programmable Thermostat
During the summer months, it is always common for people to set their thermostat to the lowest temperature just so their home remains cool at all times.
The problem with this practice is that the thermostat would also retain the same temperature and your AC would have to keep running with more electricity. What you should do instead is to get a programmable thermostat.
Programmable thermostats are smart and can detect a rise or drop in the temperature around and adjust to it. With this, you can efficiently manage energy use at home. In addition, you can remotely turn off the AC while you aren’t at home and turn it on a few minutes before your arrival. You can also hire an expert in HVAC energy efficiency optimization services to reduce your monthly electricity usage.
Maintain Your Air Conditioner
Cleaning and maintaining your AC is a very effective way to reduce your energy bill. An air conditioner with a dirty filter will require more energy to run due to the stress of accumulated dirt, dust, and lints.
Dirty air ducts can also cause your AC to use more electricity to keep the house cool. To save some money, it is recommended that you should reach out to a trusted and reliable AC repair company in and around your area to take a proper look at your air conditioning unit.
You can also sign a maintenance agreement with the ac repair company and this gives you the peace of mind that common problems that can cause spikes in energy bills will be addressed as soon as they are noticed.
Reduce Activities That Require Heat
Activities you do inside your house, like cooking, ironing, using the dishwasher, and so on generate a lot of heat that ultimately affect the temperature balance within your home.
The higher the heat generated by these appliances, the higher the Air Conditioning unit will be required to work. By lowering the use of these heat producing activities, you stand a better chance of cutting down on the pressure mounted on the air conditioning unit and this also directly reduces the cost of energy bills at the end of the month.
