While in other parts of the country homeowners have had to deal with freezing temperatures and worry over their heating efficiency and effectiveness, we’re just about getting ready to use our air conditioners on a daily basis again. In a city where it feels like we’re using those cooling systems nearly year round, it makes sense that you would like to do so as efficiently—affordably—as possible.
One way to do this is to make sure that you are having this HVAC system maintained on an annual basis (biannually if you’re using a heat pump) and that you’re keeping up on repair needs. Of course, lack of proper maintenance isn’t the only reason for potential AC inefficiency—and the good news is there is almost always something you can do to help boost your home’s HVAC efficiency. Read on!
Raise the Temp on the Thermostat
Don’t go crazy here, we don’t want you sweating it out in your home, where you should be the most comfortable during the summer. However, the truth is that you may be turning your thermostat settings down much lower than you need them to be to maintain your home comfort.
Some homeowners have their thermostats set as low as 71°F when typically, most people are perfectly comfortable at 78°F during the day. Additionally, you can save energy and money by raising the temp when you aren’t home or when you’re sleeping. There’s not much point, financially, to cooling a home you aren’t using, or to lowering temperatures far more than you actually need to stay comfortable indoors.
Use Your Ceiling Fans!
Ceiling fans on their own will not lower the temperature of the rooms in which they are installed. However, they do help you feel cooler when you are in the room. This is because sweat is able to evaporate from your body easier, which is your natural way of keeping cool. On a mildly warm day, a ceiling fan alone may be sufficient to keep you cool and help keep bills lower, as long as people are in the room where the ceiling fan is being used.
When you are using your air conditioning system, ceiling fans help push cool air down and keep warm air rising. Therefore, pairing your ceiling fans with your central air conditioning system allows you to run that air conditioner at a higher temperature, lowering your monthly energy costs.
Change Your Air Filter Every 1–3 Months
The air filter that comes standard with your air conditioner gets clogged up with dust and debris over the course of a year. This makes it more difficult for the air to circulate through your home, making it harder for your air conditioning system to keep you cool. As a result, your system may malfunction.
Be sure you change your air filter every 1–3 months, depending on the type of air filter and the level of contaminants in your home. This is one maintenance task we encourage our customers to tackle on their own.
