In our area, people generally spend more on heating than they do on air conditioning over the course of the year. But a good portion of your electric bill throughout the summer is going to be due to trying to keep your home cool. Running your air conditioner constantly can be quite expensive, but we’ve got some great suggestions for how to make it less costly to cool your home.
Program Your Thermostat
Most thermostats these days can be programmed to adjust your home’s temperature according to your schedule. When you’re going to be away all day, you don’t want to come home to a house that’s 95°F, and cooling it down again after it gets that hot will use a lot of energy. But you can keep the temperature set about 10° higher when you won’t be home, and if your thermostat is programmed to drop the temp again shortly before you arrive, you’ll be just as comfortable with a lot less expense. Don’t forget to adjust your programming when you leave for a weekend or vacation as well.
Block Direct Sunlight
The greenhouse effect means that when the sun hits your windows, the temperature inside will go up dramatically. Close curtains or blinds during the times when the sun is directly on those windows. Insulated curtains are the most effective option, but anything that decreases the amount of sun coming in will make a big difference in how much you need to use your air conditioning in West Chester, PA.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
The way our bodies cool themselves is by perspiring. The moisture on our skin is evaporated by the air that passes over it. If that air is moving, it will take more heat with it. Set your ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise and keep them running while you are home. This simple trick can allow you to set your thermostat a few degrees higher and feel just as cool. There’s no benefit to having them on while you’re gone, so turn them off when you leave the house.
Get Some Plants
The transpiration process of plants can actually help to cool your home. Some plants, like ficus trees and Boston ferns, are especially good at it. If you’re not much of a plant person, aloe, snake plants, and spider plants are great for cooling and very easy to care for.
Regular AC Maintenance
Air conditioners decrease in efficiency over the course of a year’s work from wear and tear, accumulation of dust, and lack of lubrication. Professional maintenance once a year will keep that efficiency up. Not only will it lower your utility bills, it will decrease the likelihood that you’ll need AC repair this summer by 85%, and repairs are another potential expense of cooling your home.
And don’t forget to change your air filter! You should be doing this every month during the summer. It will help your AC unit to have plenty of airflow, which means it won’t have to work as hard to pull air through and can operate more efficiently.
Contact Platinum Plumbing & Heating, Inc. today to schedule an appointment with our pros.