Fall is just around the corner, which means soon enough we’ll be able to turn off our air conditioners for another season. In the meantime though, wouldn’t it be nice if you could reduce your cooling bills? Fortunately, there is a way! Several ways, in fact. And they cost little to nothing.
The bottom line is if your air conditioner is energy efficient, you don’t have to worry about costly energy bills. Fortunately for you, there are many things you can do on your own, in your own home that will help boost AC efficiency. Keep reading for some of our tips on the best ways to boost your cooling efficiency!
What You Can Do
- Use Your Ceiling Fans! This still comes as a surprise to some homeowners, but using your ceiling fans helps you to better circulate conditioned air that’s coming from your air conditioner (or your forced-air heater, in the wintertime). This takes much of the burden off of your AC system, which is a great way to cut down on cooling costs. Our summers may be relatively mild, but that’s even more of a reason you want to be able to save as much money as possible, right?
- Consider a Programmable Thermostat: If you’re not already utilizing a programmable thermostat, you’d do well to consider the benefits. Programmable thermostats allow you to create a cooling program based around your personal schedule, so you never need to worry about setting the right temperature or forgetting to set the air conditioner to cycle on when you leave for work.
- Change Out the Air Filter: There’s a still fairly common misconception that the air filter in any given HVAC system is there to protect your indoor air quality. On the contrary, it’s actually there to protect the interior components of your cooling and heating systems. A clogged up air filter prevents heat from being pulled from your home as part of the air conditioning process, and therefore you may need to run your AC for longer or turn the temperature down lower to get comfortable. A clogged air filter eventually creates greater wear and tear for an AC system due to this, so be sure to check the status of yours.
- Have Your Ducts Sealed: Did you know that 30% of the cooled, conditioned air you’re paying for could potentially escape through faulty ductwork? Leaks or breaches in the air ducts can significantly lower your energy efficiency, causing your cooling bills to rise. And duct sealing is not something you can do on your own (no, ironically, store-bought duct tape is not for use on actual HVAC ducts)—we recommend hiring a trained and experienced pro for the job.
- Schedule Maintenance Regularly: Annual air conditioning maintenance is truly the best way to make sure that your system remains efficient and effective over its lifespan. During your maintenance session, our experienced technicians will thoroughly inspect your AC system in order to locate and repair minor problems before they become much bigger emergencies. In addition, we’ll make any adjustments deemed necessary, in order to keep you and your family comfortable for the rest of summer and summers to come.
When you need reliable service on your air conditioning in Auburn, WA, look no further than Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. Contact us today!