Reduce Your Air Conditioning Costs in 7 Simple Steps

HVAC systems can send your utility bills soaring but they are indispensable for a comfortable indoor environment.

Wise utilization of your air conditioner can help you reduce these costs. Certain adjustments around the house and in your air conditioner settings will help ensure that you get optimum cooling without increasing your costs.

1. Install a programmable thermostat

A programmable thermostat largely helps save money. With a programmable thermostat you will not face any temperature adjustment hassles or wastage of energy because you forgot to switch off the air conditioner while leaving the house.

The thermostat is a smart system that will take care of the required adjustments for your air conditioner without you having to manually restore settings all the time.

The thermostat stops the compressor from working when indoor temperature has reached a certain level preventing your air conditioner from working overtime. This also saves energy. When you are out of the house, you can program it to be at a lower temperature instead of the same when you are in the house.

2. Clean AC filters regularly

Your air conditioner needs to use more power and work for longer to achieve the cooling you desire if the filter is unclean and clogged with dirt, dust or pet hair. This will result in your energy bills going really high. To avoid this, clean the ac filters regularly and replace them from time to time if required.

3. Insulate doors and windows

Any holes or cracks around doors and windows will allow warm air to enter your house and cool air to escape, rendering your air conditioning futile. It will then have to work more to maintain the room temperature. You can use a caulking gun to seal cracks and crevices around doors and windows.

4. Schedule Annual HVAC checkups

HVAC technicians inspecting your air conditioner every year will help easily detect any dirt buildup or malfunction that may cause your energy costs to rise.

Annual checkups are used to service the machine, clean the filters and replace them if required, and repair any problem that could potentially turn into an expensive issue. This annual check-up will save you money spent on repair work and also lengthen the life of your machine.

5. Use ceiling fans to circulate air

Cool air has a natural tendency to fall and stay lower to the ground while warm air rises up. Using ceiling fans will help circulate the cool air and make you feel almost eight degrees cooler with the same use of energy. 

6. Keep drapes closed

If your house receives a lot of sunlight, it is going to lead to the house getting warmer. Your air conditioner will thus have to work more and consume more power to cool down a warm house. Keeping drapes closed will prevent too much light from entering the house and raising the temperature.

7. Close all vents

Close vents in lower areas of your home so that cool air gets displaced to warmer areas of the house.