The majority of household energy use over the course of the year is put toward heating and cooling. Anything you can do to make cooling your home more efficient will save you money when your electric bill is due. So what can you do to lower your cooling costs? Try these helpful tips to maximize your air conditioning and stay cool and comfortable for less.
Seal Up Drafts
Any cracks that allow air to pass through will let hot air into your home during the summer, giving your air conditioner more work to do. If you have gaps under any exterior doors, consider adding a draft stopper, which is easily found at a hardware store for around fifteen bucks. Or you can use a door snake, a simple tube filled with sand that will block the gap when the door is closed. Spaces around windows can be sealed with caulk or foam weather stripping.
Consider the Sun
When direct sunlight hits a window, the glass magnifies the heat, which is how greenhouses keep plants warm and growing all winter. You don’t want that happening in your house during the summer! Pay attention to which windows the sun is hitting at different times of day and make sure they are covered. Insulated curtains are the best, but any curtains or blinds will help.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
While a fan in an empty room is just a waste of energy, a ceiling fan helping to circulate the air in an occupied room will cool you off dramatically. Every molecule of air that touches your skin carries a bit of your heat away with it. Moving air means more molecules will brush against you and more heat will be carried away. The house will be the same temperature, but your body will be much cooler.
Raise the Thermostat
Once you’ve taken the other steps, you should be able to raise your thermostat quite a bit and still feel just as cool. This will take a lot of pressure off your AC unit, not only cutting your energy costs but also prolonging the life of the air conditioner as it will experience less wear and tear. Keep nudging the temperature up a couple of degrees until you find the setting that will keep you comfortable while allowing the air conditioner to run less of the time.
Program the Thermostat
A programmable thermostat can be set to use much less energy while you’re away from home. Keeping your home ten degrees warmer during the workday will cut your electric bill, and the programming will allow it to cool the house down right in time for you to arrive home. Don’t forget to program it for any vacations or other times when you’re away from home longer than usual. And even if you don’t have a programmable thermostat, it’s worth raising the temp before you leave home and lowering it again when you return.
If you have questions about your air conditioning, there’s no need to type heating and cooling near me in Cedar Grove, NJ into a search engine. Come straight to us! We’re always happy to help.
Contact MarGo Plumbing Heating Cooling Inc. today to get prompt assistance with your air conditioner!