AC and Furnace Maintenance: If you schedule your maintenance regularly for both your air conditioner and furnace, you will keep it working efficiently. Even before you turn on your air conditioner, you should schedule a maintenance checkup by an HVAC technician to prevent serious issues from happening. Several HVAC companies offer great maintenance plans, free assessments and rebates.1
Preparing your Air Conditioner: First you want to remove your AC cover, then you should check for debris and make sure nothing is blocking the fan from operating effectively. You will also need to check the outside disconnect and make sure the breaker is turned on. Don’t be left in the heat, get ready for the summer hot temperatures by preparing your air conditioner. Up to 50% of total home energy use is consumed from cooling and heating.1By preparing your air conditioner prior to use, having regular maintenance and applying some best practices you can help in annual energy savings.
Inspect your Filters: Dirty filters will prevent your unit from working properly. The unit will have to overwork to try and keep your home cool and it will recirculate dust. Check your filters once a month for dirt and buildup and be sure to clean or replace them.3
Regulating your Thermostat: When you’re home set your thermostat to a lower temperature like 78 degrees, and when you’re not home set it to a higher setting like 85 degrees for annual energy savings. Did you know that the larger the temperature variance is outside to inside your home, the harder your air conditioner will have to work? You may think your home will cool faster with a very low set temperature, but it will not. You could also consider using a smart thermostat which can help save on heating and cooling costs. How? By regulating cooling and heating when you're not at home. Some good advice is to place your thermostat on the right wall, which means place it on a wall away from windows to prevent it from thinking it is warmer in the room than it is.1
Ceiling Fan Usage: They help raise the thermostat setting up to four degrees when being used with air conditioning. Remember, ceiling fans create a wind chill effect which helps cool people not necessarily rooms. It primarily makes sense to use a ceiling fan when you are in the room.2
Close your Blinds: When closed, your blinds will help stop the cool air from escaping and keep the sun out. This is important as heat comes through the windows, which warm up both you and the thermostat. To help block out the heat, while still allowing light, consider sun shades.4
References:
(1) Spring into Savings with Four Ways to Reduce Cooling Costs Ahead of Summer
(2) Spring and Summer Energy-Saving Tips
