Easy Air Conditioner Savings For The Summer

A super-high hydro bill is almost as seasonal as swimsuits and winter sweaters. You’ve almost come to expect it, so when the temperature soars outside, you make sure it plunges inside and take the hit when the money’s due. It really doesn’t have to be this way, though, and the small changes you make this summer will guarantee air conditioner savings!

Check The Thermostat Location

While you might not think twice about where your thermostat is set, it can really make a huge difference in how it reads the temperature of the air in your home. This is because the thermostat registers the temperature around the wall on which it’s placed, not the air in the middle of the room you’re currently sitting in! Rather inconvenient, but here we are.

You’ll want the thermostat on a central wall in your home. Keep it away from drafts, doorways that lead to the outdoors, direct sunlight, skylights, and furniture, all of which can influence the temperature around the thermostat These can all activate the A/C when it doesn’t need to be on and have your HVAC system work some unnecessary overtime.

Incorporate Smart Thermostats For Home Cooling

Programming your thermostat just right can make a world of difference. Fiddle around with the needle, find your comfortable setting and stick with it. There’s no firm answer on what that setting is because it’s all a matter of what’s most comfortable for you and your family, but try and find something that lets you live in comfort, not the Arctic.

If you have an older, mercury-related thermostat, change over to a programmable model. Smart thermostats allow you to adjust for when you are not at home without having to remember to adjust it. Generally, you should have the temperature 7 degrees higher during the day, and 4 degrees while you sleep.

Fans and Curtains to Assist Air Conditioner Savings

Put your ceiling fans and window coverings to good use during the summer. The downward breeze of a ceiling fan cools you down, which also allows you to turn down the A/C by as much as four degrees! But don’t bother running the ceiling fan in rooms you’re not in – it moves the air around, but if you’re not there to experience the breeze, it’s no use.

Blinds, shades, and heavy drapes should be kept closed during the day. Hang your drapes as close to the window as possible, and pick an appropriately coloured fabric: medium colour with plastic backing works best. Use tape or Velcro to overlap them and stick them to the window sides to seal the sun out as much as possible.

Shades are an easy solution, but even these can be improved upon. Reversible shades that are black on one side and white on the other are perfect for all weather – simply switch ‘em around with the seasons. The white will take in less heat during the summer and keep your rooms cooler. Blinds, however, are a bit trickier. While it allows you to control ventilation and the amount of light coming through, the slats don’t control heat as well.

Seal Off the Area To Aid Home Cooling

Cold air can easily escape through cracks around the doors and windows, an attic with poor insulation, and other sneaky areas you might not know about. A home energy audit can determine where the air is escaping because even if you make the necessary changes in other areas, bad insulation can make your air conditioning might still work harder and longer than it has to.

Preventative Maintenance Always Guarantees Air Conditioner Savings

Summer air conditioner savings begin with a well-oiled, fine-tuned machine. It’s important to think about your A/C even when you don’t notice any problems. Change the filter, look at the parts, and have your ducts cleaned out for maximum efficiency. A routine check-up will keep your HVAC system running longer and smoother, without anything to clog it up or break down unexpectedly. Whether you need the system or not, call a specialist to have a peek – you’ll be thankful when the heat starts getting to you!