How To Cut Down On Energy Costs When Using Air Conditioning

One of the biggest energy expenses you'll face this summer is the cost to run your air conditioner. That said, homeowners are always trying to find a way to help their air conditioner run more efficiently and save them money. Here are some tips that can help you do it.

Change The Filter

If you cannot remember the last time you changed the filter on your HVAC system, then you know it is long overdue. The air filter does not just help filter the air that comes out of the blower, but can play into energy efficiency.

A clogged filter will cause the unit to have a harder time pushing air through it. The filter puts more stress on the unit since it has to run longer to chill your home to the desired temperature. Let this continue long enough, and you'll be putting many additional hours of unnecessary wear and tear on the air conditioner.

Service The Unit

You take your car to a mechanic to get a tune-up, so shouldn't you do the same thing with your air conditioner? Consider having an annual inspection done on your air conditioner before the hot summer weather starts. They'll fix things that are potentially wrong with the unit that would cause it to run more than necessary.

For instance, an HVAC professional may discover that there is a coolant leak that needs to be fixed before you can add more to the system to pressurize it.

Use A Smart Thermostat

You may have thought you were doing a great job of saving energy by installing a programmable thermostat, but it is very limited in what it can do. You typically set a schedule that is defined by either weekday or weekend days, and the schedule runs unless you interrupt it. This means that you need to take action every time you leave the home for a significant period of time when the schedule is running.

A smart thermostat takes care of all the scheduling for you. It can even detect that you're not home by tracking your smartphone's location, which helps it anticipate when you leave the house, and when you're on your way home. Motion sensors can also detect when people are not in the house and adjust the temperature accordingly.

Speak to an HVAC contractor for more tips on how you can save energy with your air conditioner or for air conditioning services


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