4 Ways To Improve The Energy Efficiency Of Your AC
Posted on: 21 August 2015
When it comes down to it, one of the biggest expenses that will occur in your house during those summer months is keeping your air conditioning unit on. Although far more efficient and ultimately less expensive than a window unit, having centralized air conditioning can be a costly endeavor. Well, there are certain things you can do to maintain your air conditioning unit such that it won't cost so much and you'll wind up being less of a boon on the environment. What are those certain things? Continue on, dear reader and discover 4 ways to improve the energy efficiency of your AC.
Change Your Air Filters
Nothing is more of a challenge to a solidly working air conditioning unit than dirty filters. As a general rule of thumb, you should change your filters once every 1 to 3 months, depending on what type of air filter you are using. The dirtier your filter is, the harder your air conditioning unit has to work to pull in fresh air into the unit. As such, it ultimately pays to simply change the filter every now and then. In addition to that, dirty filters can be a huge detriment to the overall health and lifespan of your air conditioning unit. Dirty filters can lead to a clogging of the vents and as such, will require a hefty repair bill.
Keep The Unit Clean
This is an easy way to ensure that your air conditioning unit will work at its prime and will continue to stay in tip top shape. During the summer months, it is a good idea to simply hose off the exterior of your air conditioning unit to ensure that the area stays clean. From there, you'll have to do a bit more dirty work. Remove any debris that has entered the cooling unit and make sure nothing has entered the vents. Make sure you rake away any leaves, litter or other forms of debris that have made the surrounding area of the air conditioning unit their home.
Adjust Temperature Accordingly
The cooler you attempt to make your home, the harder your air conditioner has to work. The harder it has to work, the more energy it is going to burn. As such, don't keep your house freezing cold. A temperature set to about 78 degrees should be sufficient for your cooling needs; if you must keep it colder, don't go below 72 degrees. When you step out of the house, adjust the temperature accordingly. Keep the house's temperature set to approximately 80 degrees whenever you leave the house in order to ensure that your air conditioner is not working itself to death.
Use Fans In Conjunction With AC
Make sure to use fans whenever possible; especially ceiling fans. Ceiling fans used much less energy than air conditioning units since they simply circulate the air, as opposed to generating cooler temperatures. By using fans in conjunction with air conditioning units, you can make sure that the air in your house is being cooled down as it is circulated without overworking the unit. When you are using your fans, keep all AC vents open at all times, even if you're not using the room that they are located in; this will also ensure a less stuffy environment and will keep the unit from working overtime.
Hopefully, this guide has given you some idea of tips that you can use to ensure less energy usage and a long, hard working and dedicated life span from your unit! If you have tried all these tips and still find that your air conditioning is costing you a lot of money each month, it might be time to call in a professional to have your AC repaired or replaced. Check out websites like http://www.homesmartcolorado.com/ for more information.
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