6 Ways to Save Money on Air Conditioning This Summer

Anywhere that it’ll be warm, you’ll need your air conditioner this summer. There’s no avoiding it. Higher utility expenditures result from running the air conditioner virtually constantly. If your air conditioner or heating and cooling system needs to be repaired or replaced sooner than you’d like, it could mean a significant financial outlay down the road. There are a few viable options for controlling your air conditioning bills in summer – or much sooner in these regions.

Installing a Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats are relatively inexpensive and easy to set up and operate. One will help you save money on your energy bill, so it will quickly pay for itself.

In summary, smart thermostats save energy by operating at the same level of efficiency while you’re away, busy, or sleeping. Apps can be used to control some programmable thermostats. Some can quickly learn your routines and make power-saving adjustments to your settings.

Smart thermostats, according to the US Department of Energy, save an owner roughly 10% a year in average heat and air conditioning costs.

If you haven’t already, consider upgrading to a smart or programmable thermostat that can be programmed to regulate the temperature in your home at specific times of the day. Smart thermostats allow you to keep your home at a suitable temperature, and many of them can be controlled remotely.

Thermostat Settings

If no one is home during the day, the Department of Energy estimates that keeping your house’s temperature 7-10 degrees warmer for eight hours will save you roughly ten percent on energy expenses. The government recommends that you set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you’re at home. If you’ve been gone for much of the day, don’t turn down the heat too much.

Set your air conditioning system’s fan to low on humid days during the summer. What is the purpose of this? Slower fan speeds remove more humidity from the air, making your house more comfortable while your air conditioner works less.

It’s crucial how you program or set the thermostat. So is the location of the thermostat. Place the thermostat away from windows and doors and out of direct sunlight.

Cooking Outside in The Summer

While this may not work every day for every meal, alternate cooking methods should be considered during the warmest months of the year. The more you use your stove and oven, the hotter your home becomes and the more your air conditioner has to work.

This does not imply that you should spend the entire summer eating out. That’s one idea if you have outdoor choices, such as a barbeque. Another option is to select recipes and meals that do not require much real cooking. Another option is to use smaller equipment like crockpots and microwaves. Use exhaust fans and ceiling fans if you use a stove or similar hot appliance.

This is also true in the bathroom, where hot showers are available. It’s not a good idea to go months without showering, but using the fan while showering is. It can also be used to washing, as utilizing a clothes line to dry clothing to save a few dryer cycles saves energy and reduces the amount of heat released into the home.

Make Shade for Your Home

This one will take some effort to put together, but it will be well worth it all year. Shade trees help your home keep cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter by shading parts of it.

You should select and plant broad-leaved trees. Because sunlight strikes a residence most directly from the south in the mornings and then from the west in the afternoons, tree branches on the south and west sides of a property are ideal. Placing trees near to the foundation, septic tanks, pipes, or electrical lines should be avoided.

Ceiling Fans

Even though the circulation isn’t truly lowering the temperature, ceiling fans move air and make you feel cooler. This is acceptable if it means you can keep the thermostat set a little higher.

Remember to utilize your fans if you have them. Consider getting them installed if you don’t already have them or if you need to add one to an area where you spend a lot of time. A ceiling fan can help you save money by reducing the amount of time your air conditioner is used and worn out.

Running ceiling fans on a top level and cracking some windows open downstairs is a good idea when it’s possible. You can use a fan in an apartment or a one-story house and open windows far away from the fan. This is the most efficient way to circulate air across a house or apartment. Because more sweat evaporates from your skin as a result of good airflow, you will feel a little cooler.

Maintenance and Service for Air Conditioners

If your air conditioner isn’t working at 100%, it will have to work harder, and even then, it may not be able to get your home to the desired temperature. For both short- and long-term reasons, proper, continuous maintenance of your entire HVAC system is critical.

Some maintenance is straightforward, such as changing filters every 1-2 months or following the manufacturer’s recommendations for your filters, system, and home. Filters in houses with dogs, high dust levels, or specific allergic or health concerns may require more frequent replacement than filters in other households. A clogged filter restricts airflow and makes the entire system work harder.

Checking and cleaning coils in the unit are examples of higher-level maintenance. Regular maintenance, or service from a technician for the first time in many years, is always a great idea. In regards of concerns discovered and saved before a large expense, it generally pays for it’s own and then some.