You do not need to replace the whole air-conditioning unit to lower your electric bills in summer. You only need to take these eight simple steps to minimize your electric bill immediately:
- Install an automated thermostat.
Raising heat a few degrees in your home is not stressing when it comes to saving on electricity bills. The warmer you allow your home to be, the less work pit in by your air conditioner. Nonetheless, who has time to deal with the thermostat now and then. Instead, install an automated thermostat. Select a basic model at your hardware store for as low as $30.
- Use ceiling fans only when under them.
Ceiling fans are most efficient as compared to air conditioners. However, leaving them switched on all the time cannot do you much good. It would not lower the temperature in the room as it only circulates air. They work by making you feel colder by circulating air against your body. Therefore, only use a ceiling fan when there is someone in the room. Otherwise, you are just wasting energy.
- Fix air conditioners in the hottest rooms.
Many homes have that one room that just does not cool off as efficiently as the other rooms. Such a room can cost you more money, especially if it is an often-occupied room. You could be tempted to turn your thermostat down to keep it fresh. The room will finally be comfortable even though the rest of the house freezes. However, this only wastes money by overworking your central air-conditioning unit. Instead, spend an average of $75 to $100 on a floor or window system for the one room. Turn the unit on when you are in the room, and then turn it off when leaving.
- Keep it clean.
Cleaning the air-conditioner filters is equally as important as replacing your furnace filter at regular intervals in winter. When the filter becomes dirty, the unit has to use more energy to pull in air into the system, which is more costly. Therefore, learn how to clean your system’s filter, and check it every few days in summer to ensure it is clean.
- Close the blinds or drapes.
It is ideal to let in a little sunshine especially on the west and south sides of your home, keep the curtains or blinds shut unless there is someone in the room to enjoying the sunlight.
- Hang out the laundry.
Probably, your dryer is one of your home’s biggest energy users. It takes too much gas or electricity to generate the heat used in drying your clothes. Additionally, some of that heat escapes the dryer, ending up unnecessarily heating your home.
- Caulk up cracks.
Caulk is often talked of when sealing cracks in the winter. It is true that in winter, it is simpler to easy the cold air leaking in through the tiniest of gaps and cracks. Caulk is a crucial tool in the summertime as well. If you notice the doorway in your home is warm, check for cracks and leaks. Then, use caulk to fill up the spaces.
- Keep the kitchen cool.
One way to heat up your home quickly is to use your kitchen equipment to fix meals. You still have to eat in the summer, but you do not always have to warm up the whole kitchen before you eat. Instead, plan for non-cooked meals like salads or use smaller appliances, like ovens and toasters for the moderate warming of food. The other option would be to use a slow cooker.
Even if your air conditioning unit is ten years old and in its last years, you can still make it last a little longer and cost less money cross this summer with these eight easy steps.
