How to Save Money on Your Air Conditioning Costs
Summer is just around the corner and that means the weather is starting to heat up . Homeowners, renters and beach goers are turning on their air conditioning units for the first time in months, sometimes finding that they don’t work as well as they did last summer, or that they’re not working at all. Repairing or replacing your unit can save on air conditioning costs.
If your air conditioning isn’t working, call your local heating and cooling service to find out how to get your air conditioning up and running for the summer.
Summertime means the beginning of lots of outdoor activities. This means that there will be a lot of traveling in and out of the house, opening windows and just a lot more interaction with the outside world to begin with that will cost you on your air conditioning bills. All of that opening and closing of your house can let the cool air out, making your air conditioning work harder than it may have originally had to.
Below are four tips on how to save money on your air conditioning costs this summer, while still keeping the house cool and fun for the summer months.
A Timer or Smart Thermostat can Save on Air Conditioning Costs
For central air conditioning units, there is probably already a thermostat built in. For window air conditioning units, you can use a plug-in timer if the machine you use has a mechanical on/off switch.
Set the timer to turn off when you leave for the day, and to turn on just before you get home. This way you won’t be eating your energy all day. On top of saving on your electric bill, not leaving the air conditioning unit running will give the hardware a break, helping it to last longer with fewer repairs.
Clean the Filter
You should be cleaning or replacing your air conditioning air filter every month, especially in the summer. A dirty air filter makes the air conditioning unit work harder using more electricity and more energy, and eventually becoming more of a cost to you.
If you aren’t sure how to replace your air filter, you can find a local Pine Beach, NJ heating and cooling service to help you frequently change the air filter on your air conditioning unit.
Utilize Ceiling Fans
If you don’t have ceiling fans, the summer is a good time to start thinking about installing some of them. The fans can make you feel three to eight degrees cooler, letting you dial that air conditioning back a few degrees.
If you do Install them, or if you have them already, make sure they are spinning the right direction. The air from the fan should be blowing down, sending air throughout the room to remove hot air – keeping it away from your body.
Almost all fans have a switch to change the fan direction. Double check and make sure that yours is spinning correctly.
Raise the Temperature
Chances are, bumping up the air conditioning one or two degrees in your house isn’t going to make so much of a noticeable difference that you can’t live with it.
Each degree that you keep your air conditioning on below 78 degrees with increase your energy use by 3-4%. Keep this in mind when setting the temperature gauge.
Jersey Coast Appliance is an NJ-based heating and cooling repair service that offers new appliance sales, cooling and air conditioning service and HVAC sales. If you’re a Monmouth County resident that needs to prepare an air conditioning unit for the summer months, contact us.