During the summer, your air conditioning system is working hard to keep you and your family cool, especially as temperatures continue to rise. However, with your cooling system working harder to keep you comfortable indoors, your energy bill will be higher and may cost you money that you can’t afford to lose.
Douglas Cooling & Heating understands summers are for fun in the sun, which is why we want to help your AC unit before it’s too late. Follow some of our tips below to improve the efficiency and performance of your air conditioning unit while saving you a little bit of money this summer.
How to Increase Your Air Conditioner’s Efficiency
Everyone loves to save money, especially in the summer when they are planning vacations and family gatherings. However, blasting your air conditioner during all times of the day can drive up quite the energy bill. The last thing you want to deal with is a high energy bill due to your air conditioner working harder than necessary to keep you cool.
There are several ways to make your air conditioner more energy efficient without sacrificing your comfort. Below are suggestions to save you money and keep you smiling all summer long:
Check Your Outdoor Unit
Clear away debris from the exterior unit, which can restrict the airflow around your AC compressor and reduce your air conditioner’s efficiency. You can visually inspect and remove leaves, twigs, feathers and other pieces of trash lodged in or around your unit.
Landscaping, such as trees, bushes, and shrubs, needs to be at least two feet away from the outdoor component. If you notice anything overgrowing and interfering with your unit’s ventilation, trim it back so the AC compressor can breathe.
Utilize Ceiling Fans
Air movement from ceiling fans can make a room feel much cooler without touching the thermostat. Use ceiling fans in rooms where traffic is high.
They push cool air out and down, allowing your skin to evaporate sweat faster and leaving you feeling cooler. A ceiling fan increases your air conditioner’s efficiency throughout the summer by keeping you cool so you don’t touch the thermostat.
Schedule a Tune Up
Your air conditioner’s efficiency is affected by how clean it is and the amount of wear and tear it suffers during the cooling season. Air conditioner tune ups or scheduled maintenance with our NATE-certified technicians will keep your system healthy.
Our technicians check and/or replace dirty filters, clean the interior components, and notify you of issues potentially leading to expensive HVAC repairs in the future, such as air leaks. They will also inspect all electrical connections and wiring, and check for refrigerant leaks during a routine tune up.
Finally, the technician lubricates any moving parts to reduce friction and excess wear and tear on your air conditioner’s parts.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
A regular old-fashioned dial thermostat lets you adjust the temperature in your house, while a modern thermostat can be programmed to reflect the routines of your household.
Wi-Fi-enabled models allow you to control the temperature from anywhere remotely, whether it’s at the airport or after you’ve settled into bed. Your air conditioner’s efficiency is amplified with a programmable or smart thermostat, especially when it informs you of your energy consumption, excessive humidity, an anomaly in your HVAC system, or the need for new air filters.
Call Douglas Cooling & Heating for Air Conditioner Efficiency Help
Don’t blow your hard-earned money on high energy bills this summer! Improve the efficiency of your air conditioner with these tips, and contact Douglas Cooling & Heating for all your heating and cooling needs.
We offer HVAC maintenance services, tune ups, and repairs to keep you cool all summer long. Interested in a new air conditioner or heat pump? We offer free estimates and can arrange financing to spread out the payments.
