As the heat goes up, so does your AC costs. To keep your cooling bills controlled you might be thinking, is it cheaper to leave your AC on all day in the summer in Heflin?

It’s a common belief that turning your AC on and off throughout the day is inefficient. This is actually not true.

Keeping your air conditioner running all day means you’re not using it very efficiently. We advise adjusting your thermostat higher when you’re elsewhere, and lowering it when you come home. You can achieve this with a programmable thermostat. Or, a smart thermostat is able to do everything for you.

It’s significantly more taxing for your system to keep a consistent temp all day long. It can also result in a lot of strain on your system, since it’s constantly turning on and off.

So, on top of it increasing your electricity bills, it could also cause a reduced life expectancy for your AC.

No matter what, the larger the difference between your indoor temperature and the outside temperature, the higher your AC expenses will be. So, what can you do to keep cool and keep your utility bills low in the warm weather? Here are our suggestions based on recommendations from the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) and ENERGY STAR®.

Six Approaches to Enhance Your Air Conditioner’s Energy Efficiency

  1. Tweak Your Thermostat. The DOE states that you can conserve up to 10% per year on heating and cooling by raising your thermostat 7-10 degrees while you’re out. In the summer, it’s advised to keep your thermostat at 78 degrees when you’re home and 88 degrees when you’re elsewhere. It’s additionally important to forgo setting your thermostat to a lower setting than usual when you turn on your AC. This doesn’t actually cool your home any faster, it just leads to bigger electric bills. While these temperatures could appear warm, there are many methods to keep cool without having to always run the air conditioner.
  2. Utilize Fans, Curtains and Blinds. ENERGY STAR says turning up the thermostat by just 2 degrees and utilizing your ceiling fan can lessen AC by up to 14% over the course of the summer. It’s important to remember that fans cool people, not spaces. So, when you exit the room, turn the fan off to save energy. Furthermore, keeping blinds low and curtains drawn throughout the day helps keep cooler air inside. There are also some window solutions designed to deliver added insulation and increase energy efficiency.
  3. Adequately Seal All Doors, Windows and Openings. Leaky gaps throughout a residence enable conditioned air to easily get out and warm air to get inside. This could lead to your AC equipment being required to work harder to keep your residence comfortable and your energy bills to rise. Make sure that any gaps, doors and windows are suitably sealed. Caulking or weather-stripping are easy fixes for leaks or drafts around windows and doors.
  4. Schedule Regular Maintenance. Scheduling air conditioner maintenance assures that your air conditioner is always functioning at its most efficient. This allows our pros to identify little issues before they become major dilemmas. A maintained air conditioner is generally more efficient and could even run for a longer period of time.
  5. Invest in a Smart Thermostat. One of the greatest methods to ensure comfort and energy savings is with a smart thermostat. This thermostat intuitively adjusts the temperature based on your everyday schedule. It works with your smartphone to sense when you’re at your house or gone to enhance your energy savings. In fact, ENERGY STAR states that a smart thermostat could possibly save you about $180 annually on HVAC costs.
  6. Consider Replacing Your AC. You can expect a properly maintained AC unit to last for 15-20 years. But if you’re frequently calling us for air conditioning repair or your AC bills are climbing with no change in thermostat settings, it could be time for a replacement. We offer many energy-efficient air conditioners, like ENERGY STAR models that can help you save more on cooling without bargaining comfort.

Increase Your House’s Energy Efficiency with Bain Heating & Air Conditioning

No one likes to see their energy bill climb during the warm months. If you’re looking for more ways to keep your energy use and bills down this summer, our experts can help. Give us a call at 256-270-1196 or contact us online right away for additional information.