As summer heats up, you’ll be relying on your air conditioning to keep you cool. But the hotter the temperature outside, the harder your HVAC unit will have to work to keep a room cooler. This can result in more wear and tear on the unit as well as higher energy bills.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to help your air conditioner run as efficiently as possible. Let’s take a look at a list of ways you can get the most of your air conditioning while also saving money.
Keep Your HVAC Unit Reliable All Summer With These 7 Tips
Are you trying to find a way to keep a room cooler during the dog days of summer? By following the helpful tips in this article, you can keep your HVAC unit reliable and damage-free.
1. Check Your Filters
Keeping your air conditioning unit as clean as possible is one of the best ways to keep it running efficiently. This requires making sure that it remains free of dust and allergens that circulate in the air.
The smartest and simplest AC tip we can offer is to make sure you replace the air filters on a regular basis. A new filter will keep the HVAC system from getting clogged, keeping the air clean and cool.
Replacing filters is easy and relatively inexpensive, so check them at least once a month and replace as needed.
2. Keep Your A/C Unit in the Shade
If your air-conditioning unit sits in direct sunlight, it will get hot and thus take longer to cool your home. Shaded areas around your house will keep the unit cool and prevent it from laboring more than necessary.
We suggest planting trees around the unit to create shade, or if you replace your unit, place it in a location where your roof can shelter it from direct sunlight for most of the day. It shouldn’t take a lot of effort to provide enough shade to have a significant impact and keep the unit running efficiently.
3. Protect Your Thermostat
We recommend that you be mindful of the things that you place near your thermostat. Certain appliances such as televisions and lamps generate heat and cause your air conditioner to run more than is actually necessary.
Take this into consideration when installing a new thermostat in your home. Place it in an area away from things that emit heat, as well as away from windows where it might be exposed to heat from sunlight.
4. Pay Attention To The Thermostat Setting
This is another simple yet important tip for managing your energy bill. Keep in mind that for every degree you keep your thermostat set below 78 degrees, energy consumption increases by around 8%.
This means if you’re average electric bill is $100, you can save $8 per degree for each degree you keep it above 78. That’s significant savings, for doing nothing more than keeping a close eye on the dial.
Another great option is to replace your old thermostat with a programmable one. This way you can set the timer to run less when no one is home. Programmable thermostats can be set to run at different temperatures throughout the day and night without the homeowner having to constantly be running over to adjust the dial.
5. Consider Updating Your HVAC Unit
The reality is that air conditioners get old and need to be replaced just like anything else around the house. As these units age, they become less efficient, and cost more money to not cool your home as well. Also, old AC units simply don’t have the technology of modern units.
Replacing your unit might seem like a major expense, but a unit that is more efficient will help cut costs on your monthly energy bills, which will save you big in the long run, thus ultimately paying for itself.
Take a look at newer models. Talk to experts who can answer all your questions and guide you in the right direction. You’ll want to make sure you find a unit that is the proper size for your house. Do your research, shop around, and talk to an ac installation professional who can help you pick a unit that will best serve you.
6. Make Sure Your Home Is Properly Weatherized
One of the ways you can most impact how well your air conditioning unit runs at top efficiency is to properly weatherize your home against outside conditions. This is because the more the outside heat is able to enter your home, the longer and harder the AC unit will have to work.
Weatherizing your home can be relatively inexpensive and something you can do yourself. Check the weather stripping around all windows. You might find it necessary to replace weather stripping or seal air leaks with caulking in order to keep warm air out.
You might even want to consider replacing windows. Old windows simply don’t offer the same level of efficiency of new models, and you’d be shocked at the energy savings you could experience with new energy-efficient windows.
7. Call An HVAC Professional
We strongly recommend having your AC unit cleaned and tuned by a trained professional at the beginning of each summer season. Find someone who is licensed, bonded, and insured to come to your home and test your HVAC system.
This is the best way to be certain that everything is in top operating condition. A seasonal tune-up could potentially save you significant repair expenses.
Easy Ways to Keep a Room Cooler
Being proactive is the best way to keep your energy costs down this summer. You don’t have to invest a fortune to keep a room cooler, you just need to be smart.
Keep your unit clean so that the A/C fan runs smoothly. Clean out any debris, and replace your filters regularly.
Summertime is so much more enjoyable when your home stays cool. And the best way to keep your home cool is by keeping your HVAC system in tip-top condition.
Click here to see 5 signs that you need to repair your A/C before summer.
