As summertime temperatures peak, many of us retreat to our homes to hide from the heat. With the rising costs of living across the US, cooling your home affordably is a concern for most. Learn more about keeping your home cool without breaking the bank here:
Raise your AC temperature when you are not home
No, do not turn your AC off completely – especially if you live in extreme heat such as the Southwest region of the United States. Indoor temperatures that exceed 90-95 degrees can compromise the integrity of your electronics, and once you come home, forcing your air to cool your house back down will increase your electric bill. Instead, turn your AC up when your home is empty (i.e. you are at the office). Turning your AC up to 78 degrees has shown to significantly reduce the electrical use of your AC unit.
Pre-Program your thermostat
If you have central air conditioning, then you most likely have a pre-programmable thermostat. Most pre-programmable thermostats can be programmed according to your behaviors. Rather than you having to set your thermostat according to your schedule, your thermostat can be set to do things such as: turn off at night, turn on when you’re awake, lower the temperature when you are on your way home from work, etc.
Blinds and Fans
Though you may love the sun, you can imagine that allowing the sun to beat through your windows will only heat up your home much more quickly than closing the blinds. Blackout curtains can be really effective in limiting the heat allowed in. Ventilate your home with windows, portable fans, ceiling fans, or whole house fans. Setting ceiling fans to run counter-clockwise pulls the cooler air in the space. Open the windows at night to let the cooler air inside. Fans use less energy than your AC unit, so try turning up your AC and positioning fans where needed, such as in your bedroom and living room.
Optimize your AC Unit’s Functionality
If you are using an older AC unit, you will want to have it inspected by a professional to ensure it is still running at optimal capacity (not raising your electric bill), and that it does not need to be replaced.
- Clean your AC’s filters. These should be replaced every three months at minimum.
- Have your AC inspected annually. We can’t stress this enough. Any problems left unchecked will cause further damage to your unit and result in malfunction.
- Watch for leaky ducts. As with everything else, ducts also get old and can begin to leak. Check-up on the integrity of your ducts to ensure there are no leaks, and the air is blowing to the correct places.
Schneider Heating & Air Conditioning is the leader in heating, cooling, ventilation, and air quality products and services in the La Crosse area. We have been serving the Coulee Region for more than 80 years. Our technicians are highly and continually trained utilizing the most sophisticated HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) technologies and equipment. All of our service technicians are NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certified—the largest non-profit certification organization that is governed, owned, operated, developed, and supported by the HVAC industry. At Schneider Heating & Air Conditioning, we pride ourselves on amazing customer service. Contact us today.