The summer months can be hard on your air conditioner, especially if you are home a lot. Keeping your home comfortable and cool is important, but the more you use your AC, the harder it works, and the more likely a breakdown becomes. So, it is important to limit your air conditioner use with energy saving tips, and take measures to keep things cooler naturally.
Of course, the biggest benefit of applying energy saving tips to your HVAC system is that this can greatly reduce your summer energy bills. A lot of people assume that saving on energy costs in the summer means suffering through hot weather. With the right energy saving tips though, you can stay cool, while giving your heating & air conditioning a break.
Start With the Basics
As with all energy saving tips, the best place to start is with the easiest changes to make. One of the best HVAC energy saving tips out there is to simply reduce the amount of heat that builds up in your home in the first place, thus reducing the amount of energy your AC has to expend to cool the space. Obviously making sure windows and doors stay closed is a good idea, but you can also keep blinds closed in rooms you are not using to reduce sunlight and heating, and you can utilize household fans even when you have the AC running to help reduce the amount of heat overall and keep the air flowing.
Perhaps the most impactful of the energy saving tips out there is to keep your AC off or set to a higher temperature when you are not home. A programmable thermostat can help a lot, ensuring that your home is cool again when your return, while keeping the energy use down during the day.
More Energy Saving Tips
After applying these basic energy saving tips, you can move on to a few more-involved, but still relatively easy steps. One of the energy saving tips that sometimes goes overlooked is insulation. You want to make sure all the insulation in your home, and especially your attic insulation is thick enough and covers your whole house. A lot of heat can seep in through the roof on a hot day, and proper insulation makes a big difference. Similarly, you will want to inspect your home for gaps and cracks that may be causing air leaks. These leaks can have a big impact on energy efficiency, especially if left unattended too long.
Tune-Ups Can Help
Overall, the best way to stay as energy efficient as possible during the summer is to pay attention to how and when you use your air conditioner and try to minimize how much work it does. A simple check of your ducts, common leak areas like doors and chimneys, and your HVAC system’s air filters can go a long way towards preventing energy waste.
Get More Energy Saving Tips or Schedule a Maintenance Appointment
With these energy saving tips in mind, your heating & air conditioning professionals at Galmiche & Sons can help. From performing a thorough inspection on your system to cleaning out your unit, and replacing filters, having an HVAC professional look at your air conditioner before heavy use is also a great way to save on energy costs and prevent surprise breakdowns.
