Do you want to save more money on your air conditioning expenses?
The heat of the summer season is probably driving you crazy and the thought of paying your high energy bill is not helping at all. But instead of deciding to make your family suffer through the heat, why not just adjust the setting of the AC unit so it saves you money?
Believe it or not, the thermostat setting can make your AC unit become more energy efficient. If you know how to set it up, you might be able to lower your energy bill so it will not give you a run for your money.
Setting your air conditioning to save money
Did you know that you can lower your utility bill by 3% every time to increase the set temperature?
So how do you set your air conditioning unit to help you save money?
The idea is to change the temperature in your home to suit specific situations. The Department of Energy advises that the coolest temperature in your house should be 78°F – at least this is true if you are at home and awake. If not, then you need to adjust the temperature accordingly.
When you go to sleep, you will not need to cool yourself too much because you will be stationary in bed anyway. And the night time is usually cooler than the daytime. So adjusting the thermostat to 82°F while you sleep should be a good idea. That is 4 degrees higher and will surely help you lower your utility bill by 3% for every degree you increased.
You can adjust that when you wake up so everyone wakes up to a more comfortable temperature.
But once everyone steps out of the house, you need to set the thermostat of your air conditioning unit to 85°F. There is nobody at home to cool anyway.
If you have a manual thermostat, you have to adjust it as soon as you get home, before you go to sleep or before you leave your house. But if you want to be efficient about it, you might want to invest in a programmable thermostat. This will allow you to set it so it automatically adjusts before you and your family wakes up or before you get home. This will ensure that your home is set to a comfortable temperature once you start moving around the house.
Other tips to make your air conditioning energy efficient
Apart from the thermostat, there are other things for you to do to make your air conditioning more energy efficient – thus saving you a lot of money.
Here are some tips that you can follow:
Check the insulation
A well-insulated house means the inner temperature is not affected by the elements outside. That means if it is cool inside, it does not matter if the outside is very hot. It will not make the air conditioning unit work too hard to cool the house. This is why you need to make sure there are no cracks or drafts along the windows. If there are, make sure to cover them up.
Keep the Sun’s rays out
The best way to do this is to have a tree shade the window. But if you do not have a that, heavy drapes or blinds will also work. When the Sun’s rays are kept out of the house, it will not contribute to the warmth inside. This will make your AC unit’s job easier.
Place heat-emitting appliances far from the air conditioning unit
These include lamps, TVs, and even computers. When there is heat-emitting equipment or appliance beside the unit, this can affect the warmth that the unit will try to cool – making it work harder and consume more energy.
Make use of fans
Another thing that you can do to help the AC unit is to use ceiling fans. This will help cool the air – or at least help it circulate. That will make any room cooler. Although the fan will also be consuming energy, it will not be the same as the amount of energy consumed by the AC.
Maintain the air conditioning unit properly
This means making sure the air filters, drain pipe, and evaporator and condenser coils are clean and working well. If the air filters are dirty, clean it or replace them. Failure to maintain your AC unit can affect how efficient it will work. You can also schedule regular maintenance with a professional to make sure nothing important needs replacing. If the whole unit needs replacing, then have it replaced.
Hopefully, these tips can help you save more money even as you use your air conditioning unit 24/7. And in case you need additional tips or advice on how to set up your air conditioning, make sure to contact us.
