Now that the summer is in full swing, many homes are humming with the sound of the air conditioner running throughout the day. Unfortunately, not all air conditioners are created alike and some are more energy-efficient than others.
Here are some ways to keep your power bill low this summer without having to completely replace your air conditioning system:
Add a thermostat. Most new air conditioning units come equipped with a programmable thermostat. However, if you have an older unit and there is no thermostat, consider installing on. A programmable thermostat will help to regulate the temperature in your home and keep it at a consistent, comfortable setting which will help to keep your energy usage regulated.
Add ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are a great way to circulate cool air throughout your home and spread the cool air from the air conditioner to all areas of the home. Also, if you use a mister and a ceiling fan you can create the feeling of being cooled off in a pool of water – without actually submerging. This is a good way to keep the temperature in your home a bit higher, while saving money but not sacrificing comfort.
Clean the filters. Inside of your air conditioner is an air filter that is meant to trap particles and allergens that are flying around in the air. When the filter is bogged down with these particles because it hasn’t been cleaned in a while, the air conditioner motor has to work much harder to keep the area cool and that means using more electricity for pushing out less cool air. Not to mention, if you have anyone in your home who has allergies or, is sensitive to poor indoor air quality, a dirty filter will make their time inside of the home miserable.
Close curtains. While it is nice to have the home opened up and bright during the summer months, this also allows a lot of heat into the home, making the air conditioner work that much harder. Pull the curtains closed during the hottest times of the day or, only have the curtains opened on the windows where there isn’t direct sunlight.
Being thoughtful about energy-efficiency this summer will pay back ten-fold. Not only does this help with your power bill but, it is also good for the environment.