Without a doubt, keeping your home cool in the summer is one of your biggest expenses. Here are some tips to help increase the efficiency of your air conditioning unit and make your home cooler for less cost.
- Change your air filters at least every three months. When the filters are dirty, the unit has to work harder, which uses more energy, drives your electric bill up and damages the unit.
- Keep debris cleared away from the vents and coils. Leaves, grass, bird feathers and dust can become lodged in and around the unit and block the airflow that the unit needs to operate efficiently.
- Increase temperature settings when you are not at home. There is no need to keep the house cold if you are not there. This can save as much as twenty percent on your electric bill and will also increase air conditioner efficiency because it doesn’t have to work so hard.
- Do chores that raise the temperature in the house either early in the morning or late in the evening when the temperature outside is lower.
- Use ceiling fans to help circulate air through the house and provide a breeze. Fans set on low use much less energy than the air conditioner, even if the temperature is a degree or two higher.
- Use drapes, blinds or shutters on windows that face the sun. Solar shade screens that filter out part of the light are also helpful.
- Check your home for air leaks and insulate them. Air escaping from a home can account for as much as thirty percent of additional cooling cost.