When your family relies on air conditioning to stay comfortable at home during the hot summer months, it can feel like you’re stuck paying high energy costs. In reality, there are many different tactics that you can implement to enhance the efficiency of your AC unit this summer season.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats are a great new addition to any residential air conditioning system. You can easily program this type of thermostat from your smartphone so that your air conditioning system runs more efficiently. A great place to start is programming your new thermostat to be at a higher temperature during the hours when you’re not at home.
In addition to being programmable, a smart thermostat will monitor your energy usage. Not only will you get reports of your usage, but you’ll receive recommendations for more energy-efficient settings. You’ll likely be surprised at how much money you can save each month by investing in a smart thermostat.
Beef up Your Insulation
Insulation is another great way to enhance the efficiency of your air conditioning system. Think of insulation as a blockade between the inside of your home and the hot outdoors. The thicker that blockade is, the less likely that hot outdoor air is to make it to your cool indoor air. You’ll want to check the recommended R-valve for insulation in your area to ensure that you either meet or exceed it.
Seal Your Ducting
Your ducting plays a vital role in the delivery of cool air to your rooms. Unfortunately, when your ducting develops leaks and gaps, it will allow that cold air to escape into your wall cavities. As less cold air makes its way to the rooms in your home, your air conditioning system has to work harder to produce more cold air. Investing in professional duct sealing is a great way to ensure that all the cold air that your air conditioner produces actually makes its way to the rooms in your home.
Clean Your Air Filter Regularly
Your AC/Heat air filter can be a double-edged sword. It can be great for eliminating harmful airborne particles from the air inside of your home. However, when it reaches the end of its lifespan, your air conditioning system has to work harder to force air through it. You can prevent this overworking of your air conditioning system by simply checking to see if your air filter needs to be replaced every few weeks. You’ll want to keep a filter on hand so that you can easily replace it when necessary.
Upgrade to a New System
If your air conditioning system is over eight years old, it may be time for an upgrade. Air conditioner technology has changed tremendously over the recent decade. Newer air conditioners are much more energy-efficient than older models. If you’re really concerned about your energy consumption this summer season, consider upgrading your old air conditioning system for a newer, more energy-efficient model.
Carefully Place Your Thermostat
The placement of your AC’s thermostat plays a big role in how it reads the temperature. There are numerous hazards in a home that can alter the ambient temperature that your thermostat is reading. Some of the most common include direct sunlight, heat-producing appliances, doors, and windows.
Whenever your thermostat is placed near one or more of these hazards, it won’t be capable of reading the right temperature. Rather, it will read a temperature that is well above what the actual temperature is in your home. This will cause your thermostat to kick on your air conditioning system when it isn’t really necessary. If your thermostat is placed near one or more of these household hazards, consider contacting a professional to position it in a better location.
Use Ceiling Fans
A great addition to any residential air conditioning system is one or more ceiling fans. These should be placed in highly utilized rooms in your home, such as your living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and home office. You’ll want to set the blades on all of your ceiling fans to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. This will force air down onto you.
When you have a breeze blowing on you, it can make a room feel up to 10 degrees cooler than it actually is. This means that you can set your thermostat at a higher temperature so that your air conditioning system will run less often. The best part is that you won’t even notice the increase in thermostat temperature thanks to your ceiling fans.
Block Out the Direct Sunlight
If you’ve ever spent a day on the beach, you know that direct sunlight can be very hot. When direct sunlight comes into the windows and doors of your home, it can heat up the air inside. This will cause your air conditioning system to kick on and run more often. Do yourself a favor and install blinds or curtains to block out the direct sunlight throughout the daytime hours.
Fix Air Leaks in Your Home
All homes develop air leaks over time, most commonly near doors and windows. These leaks allow the hot air from outside to seep into your home and raise the indoor temperature. When the temperature inside is higher, your air conditioning system has to kick on to frequently combat the rise in temperature.
You can fix this issue by sealing up any known air leaks. Weatherstripping is a great material that will seal up leaks near doors and windows. If you’re not sure if you have any air leaks in your home, you can invest in a professional energy audit. This will be able to pinpoint any leaks that your home may have so that you can properly address them.
Consider Buying a Whole-Home Dehumidifier
If your home is in a naturally humid environment, then you may find yourself constantly turning down the thermostat. The problem that you’re experiencing is too much moisture in the air, which makes it difficult for your body to cool down. When you sweat, the air naturally evaporates that sweat to cool your body down. When humidity levels are too high, the sweat won’t evaporate, and your body will stay warm.
While an air conditioning system will remove excess humidity from the air as it operates, it can’t handle all the excess moisture in particularly humid climates. Investing in a quality whole-home dehumidifier is a great way to remove that excess moisture from the air. Once your new dehumidifier gets running, you’ll start to notice a big difference in your comfort level. In fact, you’ll likely find that you can increase the temperature on your thermostat and run your air conditioning system less often.
Professional AC Services
Rite Way Heating, Cooling & Plumbing provides professional AC services for the Tucson, AZ region. We’re also here for all of your heating, plumbing, electrical, indoor air quality, duct cleaning, energy audit, duct repair, and mini-split needs. Give us a call today to schedule your next service appointment with one of our highly experienced technicians.
