Summer days are getting hotter every year, and it’s the time when all our air conditioners will be working non-stop. Many of us think about how to use air conditioner economically so our electric bills wouldn’t be through the roof when the season starts.
Thankfully, there are many ways to keep your place cool while keeping the AC energy in check. If you want to learn how to save money on air conditioning, follow these few steps.
If You’re Buying a New AC System, Invest in an Energy-Efficient Model
Unfortunately, installing a brand new AC system is a pretty large investment, depending on the type of AC you’ll be using. There are a few types of AC systems which include split systems, ducted systems, and portable AC systems. Each type has it’s positive and negative aspects, so doing the research and picking the right one for your home is of the essence!
No matter which system you decide to install, make sure that it’s an energy-efficient model, especially if you’re looking for ways on how to save energy with air conditioner systems! Energy efficiency alone can have a huge impact on your electric bills during the hottest summer days so it’s much more financially reasonable to invest a bit more in an energy-efficient system than a more affordable one that will use more electricity to run.
Use Your AC Energy Wisely
One of the most frequent mistakes people make is that they leave doors and windows open while the AC is on. If you want to know how to save energy with air conditioner, the best way is to make it run efficiently! During the summer, it’s already hard enough for the AC to work at its full capacity, and making it less efficient inside only makes it worse.
By keeping even one window open, you’re significantly decreasing efficiency which makes your electric bill much higher than it would be.
Also, setting your thermostat to a much lower temperature won’t cool off your home faster. You’ll only use much more energy and you’ll end up overcooling your home to the point when it becomes uncomfortable. When you find the ideal temperature, don’t change it because you won’t cool off your place any faster.
Make Sure Your Thermostat Isn’t Positioned Close to a Heat Source
During the AC system installation, professionals place the thermostat carefully in a place where it’s not in direct sunlight during the day and in the path of the cool air from the vents. Also, placing a TV or similar device near the thermostat can increase the heat the thermostat reads so the AC will automatically increase power usage to make the room cooler even though it doesn’t have to. Even an energy savings air conditioner will use much more energy if something is intervening with the readings of the thermostat!
This means that you shouldn’t do anything that releases heat such as ironing or cooking near the thermostat. If it’s located near your kitchen, make sure you’re using the hood that will suck out all the smells and heat. The less artificial heat you make near the thermostat, the less energy your AC will be using.
Don’t Keep the AC Running if You Won’t Spend Time in the House
Even a quick run to the supermarket can end up being longer than a couple of hours. Although you’ll enjoy the cool and crisp air in your living room as soon as you come back home, you can save money on air conditioning if you turn off the system when you leave.
Modern AC energy systems don’t need a lot of time to make the room temperature perfect, especially if the AC was on before you left. You can also close the blinds on your windows so sunlight won’t warm up the room and cool air won’t get hot as quickly as it usually would.
Turning off your AC during the night when it’s cooler is also one of the things you can implement for energy savings. People usually leave the AC running 24/7 to keep the air cool even though nights are much cooler and the AC isn’t necessary.
Using a Fan Can Shorten the Time the AC Needs to Work
If you think you’ll use more energy by using a fan and the AC system at the same time, you’d be wrong. The AC system uses much more energy than a fan does, and when combined, the cooling process takes a lot less time than it does when you use only the AC. The fan helps the cool air circulate through the house much quicker, thus making the temperature drop much quicker.
The energy savings air conditioner and fan can make working together may not be much, but if you embrace other tips on how to save energy on air conditioning, this can further improve the savings you make!
Once You Choose the Ideal Temperature, Stick to It
Most AC manufacturers claim that the most efficient temperature is between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 21 degrees Celsius). Once you choose the ideal temperature for your home, don’t change it. Setting the temperature higher or lower than that will use more energy, or needlessly waste it. If your AC has a fan option, you should utilize it as well because it will make the rooms cooler much faster and the system won’t use as much energy to maintain the temperature.
Short-Term Investment in Insulation Can Save Money on Air Conditioning
One of the biggest issues for homeowners is the utility costs during the summer season. Many people crank up the AC to cool off their homes, but when the cool air easily escapes and the hot air enters, there’s nothing you can do to keep cool and the costs down. If that’s the case, the smartest thing you could do is to invest in insulating your home. When you use energy-efficient insulation, you won’t experience heat loss during the winter and heat gain during the summer. Although it can be a significant investment, it will save you money in the long run.
Regular Maintenance Will Keep the Running Costs Down
When it comes to air conditioners, many people forget that they should be maintained at least once a year. Just getting the dirt out of the outdoor unit can make it much easier for the entire system, let alone if all the filters and ducts are cleaned thoroughly.
As soon as you start searching on how to save on air conditioning, regular maintenance will pop up as the first thing on every list you come across. On some systems, you can do everything yourself, but if you’re not 100% sure which parts you need to replace and what you need to do, it’s better to leave it to professionals such as Chills Air Conditioning.
One of the things you can do is to cover your outdoor unit during the season. You shouldn’t completely wrap it, but create shade so it wouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight. When the outdoor unit heats up from the sun, it makes it much harder to work and produce cool air!
We’ve covered a couple of ways to use your AC and save money, so if you liked this article, make sure you share it on social media and leave us a comment on how you save on air conditioning!
