Reducing Summer Cooling Costs: Mistakes to Avoid
Reducing Summer Cooling Costs: Mistakes to Avoid
Allison Shannon - 7/17/2024
If you’re like many homeowners, you’ve potentially fallen into a routine with your air conditioner. Every year as summer creeps closer, you swear that you won’t turn the unit on as much or that you’ll keep the temperature set to a higher degree. However, once the air gets hot and humid, you find yourself cranking the air conditioner to the lowest possible temperature, leading to high monthly bills. Instead of having to stress over the budget this summer, learn what mistakes you should avoid making.
Setting the Temperature Too Low
It’s tempting to turn the air conditioner down to the lowest setting on the hottest days of summer. Try raising the temperature by a couple of degrees to start, and you might notice that you feel equally comfortable. Keep in mind that certain health conditions can dictate the appropriate temperature for your living space, so consulting with a medical professional is advisable.
Treating Every Story the Same
In most cases, every story of a house doesn’t need to be set to the same temperature. For example, in a home with all of the bedrooms upstairs, the second story can be kept warmer during the day. You may not need to cool down the basement at all. A zone-cooling system will allow you to make these adjustments.
Leaving the Air Conditioner on Full Blast When You Leave
At the end of a long day at work, you probably don’t want to come home to a stuffy, uncomfortable house. However, leaving the air conditioner running on full blast all day is unnecessary. Set the air conditioner to cool the house shortly before you arrive home. You could also get a smart system, which will allow you to remotely adjust the temperature. Keep in mind that the air conditioner should be left on for certain types of pets, but your furry friends may not need the dwelling to be as cool as you do.
Keeping the Curtains Open
While allowing the sun to fill the room on a stunning summer day seems intuitive, this move is actually counterproductive to cooling your house. Close the curtains and blinds during the day, at least when the sun is at its peak.
Opening the Windows and Doors
You shouldn’t have the windows open and the air conditioner on simultaneously. The warm air coming in from outside will force the air conditioner to have to work harder, thereby costing you more money. Save the open windows for the milder days of summer when you can turn the air conditioning off entirely. Constantly opening up the doors will also allow heat to get into the house.
Using an Old System
If your air conditioner hasn’t been replaced in a number of years, you’re likely wasting money on cooling the house. Older units typically use more energy to function. Installing a new, more energy-efficient model might seem like a pricey move at first, but you’re likely to see savings in the long term.
Avoiding Regular Maintenance
You might have noticed that your air conditioner does not seem to be functioning as well as it used to. Maybe there’s a hot spot in the house, or perhaps the unit is making strange noises. Failure to get regular maintenance on your air conditioner can lead to these problems, which also means higher monthly bills since the unit is being overworked. Scheduling regular maintenance is also important because failure to do so could mean that you end up voiding the air conditioner’s warranty.
Reliable HVAC Specialists
When it comes to having greater control of your home’s cooling, Eagles HVAC Services in Aldie is there for you. Our technicians can show you an array of options for keeping your living space cooler at a more affordable price. You can also learn how to make the most of your home’s system.
We offer repair, maintenance and installation services for both heating and cooling systems in Fairfax and the surrounding areas. We work on heat pumps, water heaters and boilers as well. Our team can also perform an indoor air quality check in your home. Make sure to ask about our coupons, savings, financing plans and maintenance membership. Note that emergency services are available as well. To get started on making your home a more comfortable temperature at an affordable cost, contact Eagles HVAC Services today.