5 Easy Tips to Save Money on your Air Conditioning Bill

With technology improvements and the introduction of Smart homes, today’s air conditioning units are much more efficient and effective than ever before. They can still, however, lead to larger power bills when used incorrectly. To avoid spending more money than necessary, our technicians came up with five tips to help you save this summer.

1 – Make sure your thermostat is in the right location.

Having your thermostat on the wrong wall may cause it to register as hotter or colder than what the temperature inside actually is. This can make your unit run much more than it needs to, resulting in ridiculously high utility costs.

Proper thermostat placement can make your cooling more energy efficient while still keeping you comfortable. When it comes to picking the right placement of your thermostat be sure to avoid areas that have temperature extremes, such as windows, doors, and registers.

Our technicians told us to avoid lamps and tv sets or other electronics, as they put off heat and can confuse the device’s sensors.

So where CAN you put the thermostat? Good question. The best placement for your thermostat is in a room that is often occupied and on an interior wall.

For more information on the best, and the worst, places for your thermostat read the article “High Utility Bills? Your Thermostat Might be on The Wrong Wall”.

2 – Keep your blinds closed, windows closed and lights off if possible when your air conditioning is running.

On a hot, sunny day we recommend keeping your windows and blinds closed (however, you can open them at night). You may be asking yourself, “So when should I close the windows/blinds and when should I keep them open?”. Easy! If the outside temperature is hotter than the inside, close them. When the inside is warmer than the outside you can open them up again.

This technique depends heavily on the insulation of your building as well as the distinction between how hot the air feels and how hot the air actually is. Surprisingly, there is quite a debate on the whole open-closed window & blinds situation… To read more about what works best for your specific building and environment have a look at this article.

3 – Manage your humidity.

Humidity levels can be a factor in the comfort of your building as well as the performance of your HVAC. One of the main functions of an air conditioning unit is to remove excess humidity from the air, which can really take a toll on your unit and decrease its efficiency.

When the humidity is high, your AC unit has to work harder. There are ways that you can help your AC do its job so it doesn’t have to overexert itself, but first let’s identify the signs that your building may have too much humidity.

• The air feels moist
• Damp or musty smell
• Foggy windows
• Mold or mildew

To solve these problems you can use a dehumidifier or exhaust fans. You should also make sure that there aren’t any leaky roofs or windows that may be allowing water to enter the building.

4 – Don’t overdo it

To drop the costs of your air conditioning unit, avoid overusing it. If you don’t need the AC on, don’t leave it on. With the tips provided above, you can maintain a comfortable temperature without having to overuse your unit.

It’s also important to turn the unit off if no one is in the room; when there are more people in a room, the room gets warmer and with fewer people, the room feels cooler

A good way to ensure that the unit isn’t running at unnecessary times is to install a smart self-programmable thermostat. A smart thermostat is self-programming, which means it will adjust itself based on the temperature of the room.

5 – Maintain your air conditioner.

The best way to save money is to ensure your air conditioner is running as efficiently as possible. To accomplish this requires proper regular maintenance. Doing this will not only guarantee efficiency it’ll also allow you to avoid costly unexpected breakdowns and repairs.

A few things you can do to ensure your air conditioner is running smoothly:

• Check and change your air filters regularly – this is probably the best thing you can do to maintain your air conditioning unit and it’s also one of the easiest and can often be done in a few minutes.
• Clean the coils – Over time your air conditioner coils become insulated with dirt reducing the amount of heat they can absorb. This makes it harder for your air conditioner to do its job.
• Check the fins – Every air conditioning system has a condenser and an evaporator, each of which has fins. Over time, these fins can bend reducing airflow. If your fins are bent you can use a fin comb or call a professional HVAC technician to help.
• Inspect the condensate drain – Over time the drain can become clogged.
• Remove any debris – Keep your system clear of debris. This will ensure proper airflow and keep your air conditioning unit from being damaged.

Our technicians often end up fixing things that could have been avoided by proper maintenance. Spending a little time on maintenance will save money on power bills, extend the life of your equipment, and avoid those costly repairs.

We recognize not everyone has the time or skills to maintain their air conditioning unit. That’s why we offer commercial and industrial maintenance programs to ensure your equipment is taken care of.

Our highly trained and certified HVAC/R technicians are also available 24/7/365 for emergency service.