If there’s anything you’d like to know about using your air conditioner, it’s probably how to save money. How can you use your cooling system most efficiently in order to lower your energy bills, without sacrificing comfort?
The good news is, in addition to scheduling routine tune-ups for your air conditioner, there are a number of low-cost or even free ways to boost your air conditioner’s efficiency. Read on for some tips on how to do so, and be sure to contact our team if you suspect any problems with your system.
Raise the Temp on the Thermostat?
“Wait, what?” you might be asking. “You want me to make my house less comfortable? What’s the point?”
No, we do not expect you to make your home hotter than it should be during our warmer months! However, you might be turning your thermostat settings down much lower than you actually need to in order to keep your family (and yourself) comfortable.
For example, there are homeowners who lower their thermostats as low as 71°F, when in reality, most individuals are just fine with the indoor temperature at 78°F throughout the day. In addition, you can save energy by raising the temperature when you aren’t home, or while your family is sleeping. It’s not necessary to use excessive energy to cool a home you’re not in.
Utilize Your Ceiling Fans
A ceiling fan cannot lower the temperature of the room it is in all on its own. It will, however, make you feel cooler when you’re in that room. The way this works is that fans help sweat to evaporate from your body, which is the natural way your body keeps cool. On a mild day, you may even be able to run only your ceiling fans without using your air conditioner at all.
But when it is warm enough to use your air conditioning system, adding in ceiling fans helps to push cool air down, and keep warm air rising. Pairing your ceiling fans with your forced-air cooling system allows you to turn your AC system to a higher temperature, therefore lowering your monthly energy costs.
Routinely Change Your Air Filter
Did you know that the air filter that comes with your air conditioner installation is not there to protect your indoor air quality, but rather to protect the system itself? Without it, the interior components of your air conditioner get pummeled with debris that will impact its overall performance. So if the air filter gets too clogged up with dust and debris, it will affect AC performance.
Your air conditioner will have a harder time keeping you and your family comfortable. As a result, your cooling system may malfunction—or “freeze up.”
The air filter is something you can and should change on your own. Our recommendation is that you do so every 1–3 months. This depends on what type of filter it is, as well as the level of contaminants in your home—a home with pet dander and/or cigarette smoke may need the HVAC system air filter changed more often, for instance.
Contact Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. for quality air conditioning in Tacoma, WA. We take your comfort as serious as you do.