7 Rules to Save Money on Air Conditioning this Summer!

Running the air conditioning can make an electricity bill skyrocket, but the alternative isn’t pretty either…we all need to escape the heat! Luckily, there are a few ways that you can help your air conditioner run better and save you money as the summer months progress.

From CNET.com

Quit cooling the neighborhood

If your home isn’t brand new, the cold air inside is probably seeping out into the neighborhood through worn door and window seals, a poorly insulated attic and other sneaky cracks.

To see how well your home is holding in the cold, sign up for a home energy audit with our energy advisor partners at Energuy. A certified home energy auditor will check your home for leaks and recommend the best way to make your home more energy efficient.

Don’t want to spring for an audit? You can do a mini audit yourself! Stand outside your home and run your hand along windows and doors. Can you feel the cold air escaping? If you do, caulk around leaky windows and add insulation around doors.

Does your downstairs need to be cooled?

We all know that hot air rises, so basements are often cool enough!  Especially if you don’t have a finished basement, we recommend closing the vents and letting the air only work in areas you need it most.  Higher level floors are often the hottest, so focus your venting there!

Make an upgrade

If you haven’t upgraded to a smart thermostat, it’s time to make the change. Smart thermostats can regulate heating and cooling when you’re not home to save money. Plus, you can adjust the settings remotely using an app on your phone.

Make sure your thermostat is on the right wall

Thermostat placement can play a big part in how well your air conditioner works. If you put it on a wall right next to a hot window, for instance, your air conditioner will kick on much more often than it needs to because it will think the room is hotter than it actually is.

Close the blinds

A window letting in the hot sun won’t just heat up your thermostat, it’ll heat you up too. During the warmest part of the day, close your window blinds and keep out the sun. It can also help insulate your windows, which stops the cold air from escaping.

Use a fan

 

A fan can help save on cooling costs.

 

Sometimes you don’t need to amp up the thermostat to feel cooler. According to Energy Organizations, using a ceiling fan can make a room feel 10 degrees cooler and uses 10 percent of the energy of a central air conditioner.

If you want to get high-tech, you can install smart ceiling fans that connect to an app. You can schedule the times when these fans turn on and off, and you can control their speed without standing on your tiptoes.

Many people think that leaving the air conditioner at the same temperature when you leave the house saves money because the AC won’t need to work as hard to recool the home. This isn’t the case. Expert say that the most inexpensive way to use your air conditioner is to turn the thermostat up when you leave the house.

Air conditioning systems operate most efficiently at full speed during longer periods of time. So kicking it on a lower temperature when you get home will save you more money than the AC cycling on and off while you’re away.

A programmable thermostat can make it super easy to keep your AC at the right temperature. You can program the unit to work at higher temperatures while you’re at work and cool down right before you get home.

Setting low is a no-go

Always set your thermostat to the highest temperature you can stand to save the most money. Even a small change in the temperature can save you big bucks.

You can save 10 percent a year on your cooling bills by setting your thermostat just 10 to 15 degrees higher for eight hours each day aiming for an indoor temperature of 78 degrees F when you’re at home.

For more information and a free quote on air conditioners, contact Comfort Plus ClimateCARE at (519) 658-6441.  We’re here to help!