As the temperature rises, so does your AC expenses. To keep your air conditioning expenses controlled you may be thinking, is it cheaper to leave your AC on all day in the summer in Litchfield Park?
It’s a widespread belief that turning your air conditioner on and off throughout the day is a waste of energy. This is actually not true.
Keeping your AC going constantly means you’re not using it very efficiently. We advise adjusting your thermostat higher when you’re out, and turning it back down when you return. You can achieve this with a programmable thermostat. Or, a smart thermostat is able to do the work for you.
It’s much more laborious for your system to achieve a constant setting for many hours. It can also lead to a lot of wear and tear to your air conditioner, since it’s repeatedly turning on and off.
So, on top of it increasing your electricity bills, it can also lead to a reduced life cycle for your AC.
In any case, the larger the difference between your indoor temperature and the outside temperature, the more your AC expenses will be. So, what can you do to stay cool and keep your energy bills down in the warm weather? Here are our ideas based on recommendations from the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) and ENERGY STAR®.
6 Approaches to Increase Your Air Conditioner’s Energy Efficiency
- Tweak Your Temperature. The DOE says that you can spend up to 10% less annually on heating and cooling by increasing your thermostat 7-10 degrees during the time you’re out. During the summer months, it’s suggested to position your thermostat at 78 degrees when you’re home and 88 degrees when you’re out. It’s also important to abstain from setting your thermostat to a lower setting than usual when you turn on your air conditioner. This doesn’t actually cool down your residence any faster, it just results in more expensive electric bills. While these temperatures may appear high, there are additional ways to keep cool without having to always run the air conditioning.
- Take Advantage of Fans, Curtains and Blinds. ENERGY STAR says dialing up the thermostat by a mere 2 degrees and turning on your ceiling fan can decrease air conditioning costs by up to 14% throughout the summer. It’s important to be mindful that that fans cool people, not spaces. So, when you leave the room, turn the fan off to conserve energy. Furthermore, keeping blinds lowered and curtains shut throughout the day helps keep chilled air in. There are also some window solutions designed to deliver extra insulation and improve energy efficiency.
- Adequately Seal All Doors, Windows and Openings. Leaky cracks all around a residence enable cooler air to rapidly get out and the heat to get within. This can lead to your AC unit being required to work harder to keep your home cooler and your AC bills to skyrocket. Make certain that any openings, doors and windows are properly sealed. Caulking or weather-stripping are easy mends for leaks or drafts around windows and doors.
- Schedule Annual Checkups. Scheduling air conditioner maintenance assures that your system is always functioning at its most efficient. This allows our experts to find simple issues before they turn into substantial troubles. A clean AC is typically more efficient and could even last for a longer period of time.
- Invest in a Smart Thermostat. One of the greatest methods to guarantee comfort and energy savings is with a smart thermostat. This thermostat automatically changes the temperature based on your daily schedule. It works with your smartphone to notice when you’re at your house or elsewhere to optimize your energy savings. In fact, ENERGY STAR states that a smart thermostat could potentially save you about $180 per year on energy expenses.
- Consider Replacing Your AC Unit. You can foresee a properly maintained AC to run for 15-20 years. But if you’re often calling us for air conditioning repair or your energy bills are climbing with no altering in thermostat settings, it might be time for a new system. We offer many energy-efficient air conditioners, such as ENERGY STAR models that can help you save more on cooling without negotiating comfort.
Increase Your Residence’s Energy Efficiency with Cooler Tymes LLC
No one likes to see their electricity bill increase during the summer season. If you’re in search of more ways to keep your energy usage and bills down this summer, our team can help. Give us a call at 623-208-6444 or contact us online today for additional details.