Reduce Cooling Costs this Summer with 6 Tips!

This has turned out to be a pretty hot summer, and more high temps are sure to be on the way. Air conditioning sure goes a long way to keep us more comfortable, but we all know it also drives up our energy costs. Here are a few tips on ways to reduce your cooling costs this summer:

1 – Believe it or not, wind chill can work in our favor during the summer! Use a ceiling fan or other circulating fan to move the cool air around and make your environment feel cooler simply through air movement. Ceiling fans also disperse the cool air better, allowing you to lower your cooling needs with little noticeable discomfort.

2 – Set your A/C as high as is comfortable. Setting your temperature super-cool actually does not cool rooms any faster, making the extra spending pointless.

Setting your thermostat to 78-degrees instead of 72-degrees can save as much as 18% on cooling costs according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

3 – Set your A/C higher at night when you do not need the temperature as conscious-cool as waking hours when you are moving around. If your unit has a “sleep mode” use it, or install a programmable thermostat to house units that automatically adjusts the temperature overnight.

4 – Avoid activities that generate heat such as cooking, hot showers, using the dishwasher and drying clothes. Also turn off electronics and lighting when not in use.

5 – Take advantage of your window treatments and storm doors. Close curtains and blinds to block out solar heat during the day, and keep doors closed tightly to avoid unnecessary air leaks.

6 – Make sure none of your A/C vents are being blocked from pushing out cool air as far into a room as possible – move furniture and other obstructions out of the way of the cool air flow.

Besides these energy saving tips, be sure to have your air conditioners maintained to keep them clean and working properly for the best energy efficiency. Dirty air filters and coils, leaking units, and blocked condensers have a high impact on a unit’s efficiency so schedule routine annual maintenance with Gelinas for the best savings in the long run.