During the hot months of the year, you have to use the air conditioner. If you are like most homeowners, energy consumption is a big issue with you. According to HVAC companies, there are plenty of tricks you can use to save on the amount of energy you use cooling your house. Some of these ways include:
Keep the air conditioner low at night
At night, even if it’s hot, you won’t need a lot of cooling as you will be in the sheets. To save some energy, you should consider turning the AC down at this time. Most of the modern air conditioners come with the sleep mode and all you need to do is to switch to it and you will be on your way to saving a substantial amount of money.
Shade your house
It goes without saying that when you shade your house, you minimize the amount of sunlight that gets inside. This means that the house doesn’t get too hot. As a result, you don’t need to do a lot of cooling.
There are plenty of ways in which you can shade a house. The most effective ones are: using landscaping, overhangs, and awnings. These will keep your house cool hence keeping your cooling costs low.
Experts report that when you shade your house, you create a 10-degree difference in temperature which means more money on your side.
If you aren’t sure how you can shade the house, ask a professional to help you out.
Maintain your air conditioner
When your air conditioner is in top shape, it runs efficiently, which means that it consumes little energy. There are plenty of ways in which you can maintain your air conditioner. The most effective way is to clean the unit regularly. At least once a year, ask a professional to visit your home and inspect the unit. The professional should then clean the unit and if there are any issues, fix them.
Make use of a portable air conditioner
A portable air conditioner makes it possible for you to cool specific areas of the house. As a result, you don’t cool the areas that you aren’t interested in. This means more money in your pocket. According to AC experts, proper use of the air conditioner can see you spending up 50% less energy every month.
Portable air conditioners come in different sizes and designs. It’s up to you to choose the one that is ideal for your application.
Turn off the lights
Turning off the lights goes a long way at reducing the amount of heat in the house. If you don’t have any need for the lights, you should simply switch them off. At the same time, you should be cautious of the light that you allow into the house.
You should consider keeping the windows shut and installing blinds during the sunny days.
Make use of the thermostat
It’s the thermostat that controls the air conditioner; therefore, you should make it your best friend. When it comes to saving money when cooling, every degree matters. When it’s not too hot, consider setting the temperature at least 7-10 degrees higher than you usually do.
This way, the air conditioner doesn’t work too hard, which sees you saving a lot of money at the end of the month.
Seal the cracks
Are there areas in the house where the cold air might be leaking? If this is the case, you should seal the cracks. When the cold air keeps on escaping, it means that the air conditioner has to keep on working,
You should work with an expert contractor who will help you in identifying the areas that have cracks and seal them. Check for cracks around the edges of the windows and doors and apply caulk or weather stripping that is known to seal them.
Reduce its use
If you can avoid using the air conditioner, you will save a lot of money as you won’t be using any energy. When you aren’t in the house, HVAC repair services McLean providers recommend that you switch off the air conditioner as you won’t need it.
