Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Four Ways to Reduce Your AC Costs

Air-conditioning takes up a larger portion of your heating and cooling bills than anything else. The longer it runs, the sooner your savings dry up. How can you balance your home’s comfort yet keep your cooling bills slim? Below are some useful tips.

Use your thermostat efficiently
The closer your indoor temperature to that of the outdoor, the lower your cooling cost will be. Set your thermostat higher when you’re not at home and set it lower only when you actually need cooling. In addition, place your thermostat away from heat as this makes the AC operate longer than necessary.
Take advantage of natural ventilation
At night, turn off your AC and let the cool breeze in. Close the windows and blinds early in the morning to keep the cool air from escaping. This aids cooling while your AC works less.

Supplement cool air with fans

Fans create a wind chill effect that can make a room feel colder than when you use AC alone. This allows you to set the thermostat a bit higher while still maintaining comfort. Don’t forget to turn the fans off when you leave the room.
Ensure regular AC maintenance
Any obstruction in an AC’s operating system reduces its efficiency, as well as require it to work harder, resulting in higher energy bills. Make sure the filters are clean and, if you detect problems that require repair, have a technician come over.

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