Friday, March 27, 2015

Summertime Energy Expenses: Exactly What You Can Do To Lower Them

By Pete Demuth


Summer can be a miserable season, specifically if you reside in a very hot and muggy part of the nation. Over 80 % of American households have air-conditioners and, in some regions, it would be difficult to endure the summertime heat without one. The downside to having an air conditioning system in your house, nevertheless, is that your electrical energy expenses can be shocking during the summer. Right here are some suggestions to keep your utility expenses and check even throughout the dog days of summer.

Tip # 1: We saw to it that the cool air remained inside our home. Among the first things that I did was to check the windows and doors to ensure that they were not enabling the cool air to get away. I observed that a lot of our windows needed a bit of upkeep. So I picked up some weather stripping and made them airtight. It cost me under $20 and only took a two hours to work on all the windowpanes in our home. This helped immensely by keeping the cool air where we wanted it: within our house.

Tip # 2: Make certain there are no pieces of furniture or other objects around the thermostat for your central air conditioner. Likewise, make certain that there are no plugs, power cords, or lamps near the thermostat. Thermostats can detect the warmth from these products and run longer than they need to.

Step # 3: We likewise purchased a programmable thermostat. These are fantastic little systems that only set you back $30 or $40. I got the whole household in the habit of setting the thermostat to a greater temperature that we were used to. Do not get me wrong; our residence was still cool enough. But I 'd set the thermostat to a level that wasn't too cool. The other excellent thing about a programmable thermostat is that you can set up its timer to turn the air conditioner on or off when you prefer. Among the smartest things I believe I did was to program it to turn off around midnight. The entire household was asleep by then and we actually didn't require the expenditure of air-conditioning in the middle of the night.

Suggestion # 4: Have a look at your lawn. In particular, analyze the external compressor for your a/c unit. If possible, it is most effective if the compressor sits in the shade. This can be accomplished by growing plants or trees near the system. By some estimates, an ac unit that sits in the direct sunlight is 15 % less energy efficient than one in the shade. Make sure that you clean off any dirt, grass, or leaves that might fall into the compressor.

Pointer # 5: Do an annual examination of your air conditioner. Get a trusted and reputable HVAC specialist to analyze your system. While central air conditioning conditioners are designed to last for a long period of time, they will certainly not last for life. If your unit is significantly inefficient, it might be costing you a lot of cash in lost electrical power. These days, there are lots of energy-efficient air conditioner systems on the market. Check for one that comes with an Energy Star rating since these are the most efficient units. You may likewise consider switching to a split air conditioner. These are the most effective units readily available today.




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