Summer comes with good and bad things both. The good part is that you don’t have to worry about freezing to death and the bad part is that you sweat all day, making it difficult to survive without an AC. Unfortunately, running the AC on for too long can spark your electricity bill like no tomorrow and the alternatives aren’t really the best thing. But there are some ways that can help in running your air conditioner efficiently, enabling you to save money as the summer days progress.
Don’t Throw Money Out the Window
If you live in a house that isn’t brand new, chances are that the air of the AC is seeping out through the cracks and unclosed spaces into the neighborhood. Or it is probably leaking through the spaces between the windows, poor attic insulators and sneaky cracks.
Sign up for an energy audit for your house to find out how well the cold is being locked in. You can contact a local contractor or utility provider for this. An energy rater or auditor who has been certified will check whether your home has any leaks and recommend you the best way possible that would help you in making your home energy efficient.
However, if you are not in favor of an audit, you can do it yourself. Stand outside your house and see if there is cold AC air leaking from anywhere by running your hand around the windows and doors. In case you feel any air escaping, fill around those parts using insulators. And, don’t forget to get your AC checked by specialists like AC TEX periodically after every few months. Also, be sure to change the filters and clean the AC before summer arrives.
Authorized Dealers
Install air conditioners from authorized dealers. Visit Actron Air website to do so. You can never go wrong in choosing the right AC for your house. Moreover, if you consult professionals, you can never go wrong with the applications compared to those that are done by people who are not trained.
Periodic Maintenance
Make sure you get your AC checked for maintenance periodically after every few months depending on the usage and requirements. Don’t forget to change the filters and clean the air conditioner before summer starts.
The filters should be cleaned regularly.
Thermostat
Depending on the conditions of the weather, adjust your thermostat accordingly. The sufficient temperature for the summers is seven to eight degrees less than the temperature outside. For example, if the temperature outside is 35 degrees, the temperature of the AC should be 28 degrees.
Mode
Try to use the mode that has the option of dehumidification. Since the air conditioners dry out the atmosphere of the room, it is recommended by health professionals that people who sit in air-conditioned rooms for longer hours should consume more liquids. In addition to that, the usage of air conditioners at night should be tracked. Sleeping in the AC can make you wake up all clogged, hence using it in this mode is wiser and recommended as well, especially at night. It also saves some bucks on the bill and saves energy.
If your air conditioner has an energy saving mode, it should be used to consume the least amount of energy.
Air Outlets
Make sure that you do not cover the outlet points with cloth. It can prevent the intake of air into the AC.
Air Filters
Don’t forget to change the filters and clean the air conditioner before summer starts.
The filters should be cleaned regularly because cleaning the air filters is also necessary for the quality of air you breathe. The filters should be replaced every 6 months, or as needed. The filters can be replaced with a standard 20x20x1 inch air filter.
Turn it Off
Lastly, turn the air conditioner off whenever you sense a gas leak or foul odor to ventilate the room.