It isn’t surprising that your air conditioner is often one of the biggest energy consumers in your home, especially during the hot, summer months.
There are ways to cut your air cooling costs during the hottest time of the year, allowing you to save money on your electric bills.
Bigger is not always better. When purchasing an air conditioning unit, buy a unit that is properly sized to cool the room. A bigger air conditioner won’t always make you more comfortable, but instead will likely perform less efficiently. An oversized air conditioner will cool the room to the set-point on the thermostat before dehumidification occurs. This will make the air feel sticky and uncomfortable. A professional will need to select the correct size central air-conditioning system for your home.
If you have an existing central air system, select the “auto” mode on the fan setting to have the fan shut off at the same time that the compressor shuts off. Use your ceiling fans in each room instead to circulate the air.
Set your thermostat as high as possible during the summer, while still allowing you to feel comfortable and to help pull the humidity from the air. If you’re able to turn up your thermostat by two degrees, you’ll save money over the course of the summer.
As tempting as it may be, don’t turn down your thermostat to a colder setting than normal to try to quickly cool your home. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way and could excessively cool your home, costing you more money.
Purchase a programmable thermostat so you can adjust the temperature when the home is unoccupied. If everyone is gone during the day, set the temperature at a higher setting so you’re not paying to cool the room when no one is there to enjoy it.
Appliances that give off heat, including lamps and televisions, should be positioned away from your thermostat so your air conditioner doesn’t run higher than necessary.
Interior fans may be used alongside your window air conditioning unit to maximize its cooling reach without using a lot of power.
In low-humidity climates, invest in an energy-efficient evaporative cooler, also called a swamp cooler, which replaces warm outdoor air with cooled air. In some climates, a whole-house fan may be all you need to cool the air. A whole-house fan pulls air from your open windows through the attic and roof, providing cool air through the entire house.
Don’t forget to perform regular maintenance and cleaning on your air conditioning unit. Replace the filter each month during the cooling season. Hire a professional to clean and service your air cooling system before the cooling season begins.
If you have an older air conditioning unit, it may make financial sense to purchase a new, energy-efficient model. New Energy Star-labeled air conditioners are 10 percent more energy efficient, while new Energy Star-labeled central air cooling systems are now about 14 percent more efficient than previous home cooling systems.
