There’s no doubt that as the weather starts to heat up during the springtime in the Valley, it can get extremely hot. Having a reliable air conditioning system is an absolute must to get you safely through the season. Unfortunately, high cooling costs could have you in a bind. Fortunately, we’re going to go over some of the best tips that you can implement to drastically reduce your cooling bills this upcoming summer season.
Get Professional Maintenance
One of the best places to start is to get professional maintenance service for your air conditioning system. This service is necessary to repair any potential issues that your air conditioner may have and to ensure that it’s operating efficiently. When your AC is operating efficiently, you can be assured that you’re not wasting any of your money on excessive energy bills. An inefficient system can drive up your cooling costs and leave your wallet empty.
Use Ceiling Fans
A great tool for any household is a ceiling fan. During the summer months, you want your ceiling fan to spin in a counterclockwise or forward direction. This will force air downward onto you and create a nice cooling breeze for your body. Experts suggest that a ceiling fan can make a room feel colder by 10 degrees or more. Since it takes a lot less energy to run a ceiling fan to drop the room by 10 degrees as compared to your air conditioner, it only makes sense to have ceiling fans in all the major rooms of your home.
Seal Off Air Leaks
It isn’t uncommon for air leaks to open up around door and window frames on the outermost walls of your home. This can allow hot air from outside to penetrate into your home and increase your interior temperature. To prevent your cooling unit from constantly running to keep up with this temperature rise, it can be helpful to seal off any air leaks that you find. All it takes is running your hand around the door and window frames on those exterior walls to identify leaks. You can use spray foam insulation, caulking, or even weatherstripping to seal up those leaks.
Check Attic Vents
In order for your roof to properly breathe, there are specific vents in your attic. You may be tempted to close off those vents to prevent hot outside air from entering your attic. However, that isn’t the best idea. It’s necessary to keep your attic vents open so that the air in your attic remains the same temperature as the air outside. If you close off those vents, your attic will get extremely hot and prematurely deteriorate your roofing materials and cause your interior air to be hotter.
Keep Up With Filter Changes and Condenser Unit Cleaning
The air filter on your AC is necessary to not only protect the internal components of your system from getting covered with unwanted debris but also to boost the quality of air inside your home. However, when your filter gets overly dirty and reaches the end of its life span, it will act more like a brick wall. Your air conditioning unit will have a hard time pulling air through the filter and will start operating inefficiently. It’s best to check the filter on your system every month and replace it when necessary.
Another necessary maintenance task that you’ll want to keep up with throughout the summer season to ensure that your AC is operating efficiently is to clean around your outdoor condenser unit. Any debris, like leaves, that blows up against the side of the unit can restrict the airflow out of it. This will reduce the efficiency of your air conditioner and ultimately affect your comfort. To prevent this problem from happening, simply make sure that you check your outdoor unit at least once a month and after every major storm.
Beef Up Insulation
Insulation makes a world of difference in the ability to control the temperature inside of your home. Think of it as similar to being a barrier. The higher the R-value that your insulation has, the more resistant it’s going to be to temperature changes. It’s necessary to have adequate insulation on your exterior walls and in your attic. Make sure that it meets or exceeds the R-value for the building code in your area. Be sure to assess your attic insulation at the start of the spring season and fill in any gaps that are present.
Upgrade Your Outdated System
Probably one of the most effective ways to reduce your cooling bills drastically throughout the summer months is to upgrade your outdated air conditioning unit. If your current AC is over 10 years old, it’s likely not operating as efficiently as it did when you first got it. Furthermore, newer cooling appliances are going to have a higher operating efficiency than those of just 10 years ago.
Consider Duct Cleaning and Sealing Services
If you rely on ductwork for your cooling system to work, it’s important to remember to keep up with regular cleaning and sealing service. Your ductwork is constantly pulling in airborne debris, like dust and other particles, that can build up inside it. The more debris that accumulates inside of your ductwork, the more airflow is going to be restricted and the harder your AC is going to have to work to deliver cold air throughout your home.
Getting duct cleaning service every three to five years is a great way to help ensure that your air conditioning system is not overworking. Additionally, consider sealing up your ducting to remove any air gaps that have opened up over recent years. This will ensure that more of your air conditioning makes it to the rooms in your home.
Block Out Direct Sunlight
As a homeowner, it’s important to understand the role that the sun plays when it comes to the temperature inside your home. Direct sunlight can heat up the inside of your home by over 10 degrees. During the summer months, it’s vitally important that you block out any direct sunlight coming into your home to prevent it from heating up your home’s internal temperature. Opt for using curtains or blinds throughout the daytime hours to minimize the sun’s effect on your home’s temperature.
Use a Smart Thermostat
One of the easiest methods to implement to reduce your cooling costs is to install a smart thermostat. This type of thermostat allows you to program in different temperature settings so that you can increase the temperature at times when you’re not home to save energy. Some newer smart thermostats with integrated learning technology can even make suggestions on how to better optimize your energy usage to reduce your cooling bills.
Expert AC Maintenance Service
Cool Zone Air Conditioning & Heating offers expert AC maintenance service to the Peoria, AZ area. We can also help with all your air conditioning repair, installation, and replacement needs. Simply call us today, and we’ll get you on the schedule.
