Every North Carolina resident makes good use of their air conditioning systems to get them through the scorching summer months. Even though most people find it convenient to put up with the surging energy rates that follow increased usage of air conditioners, it’s worthwhile to know that a lot of those costs can be avoided.
If you’re looking for effective ways to cut down the costs this summer, here are some best practices to adopt.
Try Making A Moderate AC Temperature Work For You
When it comes to air conditioning, everyone has different preferences. Some people like the chill that low temperatures bring, others find it better to work at moderate temperatures. To decide the best temperature, it’s best to try and understand how temperatures affect the bill.
Here’s a fact; the lower you set the thermostat, the more power will be used to cool the house down. The trick to keeping your costs low is to set your thermostat as close as you possibly can to outdoor temperature. According to the U.S Department of Energy (DOE), the recommended temperature is 78 degrees in summer.
This temperature would work for all times of the day while keeping your costs at the minimum. If you’re one of the 60 million American insomniacs, raising the temperature a few degrees when you’re going to sleep will help you sleep better without costing you a lot.
Make Use Of A Programmable Or Smart Thermostat
Our second suggestion to keep the costs at a low this summer is to invest in a high quality programmable or smart thermostat. One of the disadvantages of using the conventional one is having to make temperature changes manually throughout the day. This also means that you can’t make the changes if you’re not home or if you’ve slept, wasting unnecessary energy.
A smart thermostat allows you to pre-set temperatures according to different times of the day—giving you a lot more room to save energy efficiently. Another interesting feature is that you can set it to go up 2–5 degrees when you leave for work in the morning and readjust the temperature an hour before you’re supposed to come back. This will make sure you use a lot less energy and won’t compromising your comfort.
Add some shade
Your windows allow heat to come into your home, especially if your home is facing East or West, allowing direct sunlight to beam right in. This not only produces an annoying glare, but also raises the temperature in your home dramatically, especially with larger windows. An easy fix to this is to get curtains that block the light from coming through. Blinds help as well, but alone they can only do so much. Make sure to get blackout curtains for the best possible heat blocking.
Outdoor plants can help add shade especially if they are in front of windows, but make sure they do not touch the house as this can gives bugs an easy way in. There is a rumor that adding shade around your HVAC unit can increase efficiency, but make sure it is not over top of the unit. Overhanging foliage can cause the hot air coming out of the top of the condenser to recirculate and stop it from cooling properly.
Don’t Delay HVAC Maintenance
One of the main factors that will help you maintain energy costs throughout the summer months is a high-functioning HVAC system. Like every other form of machinery, HVAC systems need maintenance in order to function correctly. If your system needs repairs, it’s a good idea to have it inspected as soon as possible as—leaving repairs unaddressed could force it to use more energy to cool a room.
Looking for reliable HVAC services in Raleigh, NC? Our team at Comfort Shield HVAC of NC has been in business for 29 years and has been serving all sorts of clients from residents to manufacturing companies. We offer air conditioning repairs, heating repairs and furnace repairs in addition to other services. To contact us, call (919) 588-8015.
