As the heat rises, so does your AC costs. To keep your cooling costs under control you may be thinking, is it cheaper to leave your AC on all day in the summer in Rock Hill?
It’s a common belief that turning your AC unit on and off throughout the day is wasteful. This is actually false.
Keeping your air conditioner running all day means you’re not using it very efficiently. We suggest setting your thermostat higher when you’re away, and lowering it when you come back. You can do this with a programmable thermostat. Or, a smart thermostat is able to do the work for you.
It’s considerably more taxing for your system to keep a constant temp all day long. It can also cause a lot of stress on your air conditioner, since it’s constantly turning on and off.
So, on top of it increasing your energy bills, it could also lead to a reduced life cycle for your HVAC system.
No matter what, the larger the difference between your indoor temperature and the outside temperature, the higher your air conditioning costs will be. So, what can you do to keep cool and keep your energy bills lower in the warm weather? Here are our tips based off of recommendations from the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) and ENERGY STAR®.
6 Ways to Increase Your Air Conditioner’s Energy Efficiency
- Modify Your Temperature. The DOE affirms that you can save up to 10% annually on heating and cooling by turning up your thermostat 7-10 degrees during the time you’re away at work. Through the hotter months, it’s advised to keep your thermostat at 78 degrees while you’re home and 88 degrees when you’re elsewhere. It’s additionally important to abstain from setting your thermostat to a cooler setting than usual when you turn on your AC. This doesn’t actually cool down your residence any faster, it just causes higher utility expenses. While these temperatures could seem toasty, there are many methods to keep cool without having to constantly run the air conditioning.
- Take Advantage of Fans, Curtains and Blinds. ENERGY STAR says dialing up the thermostat by a mere 2 degrees and turning on your ceiling fan can decrease AC by up to 14% during the course of the warm months. It’s important to note that fans cool people, not rooms. So, when you exit the room, turn the fan off to be energy efficient. Also, keeping blinds low and curtains shut during the day helps keep conditioned air inside. There are also some window solutions intended to deliver added insulation and improve energy efficiency.
- Adequately Seal All Doors, Windows and Openings. Leaky cracks around a home let cool air to quickly escape and warmer air to get in. This may result in your AC being required to work harder to keep your home comfortable and your utility expenses to skyrocket. Make certain that any gaps, doors and windows are properly sealed. Caulking or weather-stripping are simple mends for leaks or drafts around windows and doors.
- Schedule Regular Checkups. Scheduling air conditioner maintenance assures that your air conditioner is always running at its most energy efficient. This lets our pro to detect simple issues before they turn into significant troubles. A clean AC unit is generally more efficient and could even live longer.
- Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat. One of the best approaches to assure comfort and energy savings is with a smart thermostat. This thermostat intuitively changes the temperature based on your regular schedule. It works along with your smartphone to see when you’re in your home or away to enhance your energy savings. In fact, ENERGY STAR mentions that a smart thermostat could possibly save you about $180 annually on heating and cooling expenses.
- Consider Replacing Your AC. You can figure an adequately maintained AC to run for 15-20 years. But if you’re regularly needing us for air conditioning repair or your AC costs are climbing with no altering in thermostat settings, it may be time for a new system. We supply many energy-efficient air conditioners, such as ENERGY STAR models that can help you save more on cooling without compromising comfort.
Improve Your Residence’s Energy Efficiency with US Air Heating and Cooling
No one wants to see their energy bill climb during the warm months. If you’re wanting more ways to keep your energy usage and expenses lower this summer, our professionals can help. Reach us at 803-220-0761 or contact us online now for more info.