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Cooling Your Home
Air condition units use more energy than any other system in a home or business and can take up nearly 45% of your utility bill if it is used consistently. The larger the space to be cooled, the more it costs to operate an air conditioning unit.
By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy use and help reduce greenhouse emissions into the environment.
There are several ways to help keep your home or business cool.
- Keep your thermostats set and locked at 78 degrees or at a temperature that is comfortable to you.
- Install evaporative coolers or attic fans.
- Use ceiling fans instead of the air conditioning unit whenever the fans can generate enough cool air to keep the room comfortable.
- Cool only the rooms that are being occupied.
- Install timers and program them to shut down during non-business hours.
- Check your system to ensure that the economy cycle is operating properly.
- Set cycling gauges to cycle only as required.
- Prevent cooling loss by balancing the air handling system.
- Perform required maintenance regularly changing belts, coils, bearings, and filters.
- Clean cooling and condenser coils regularly.
- Ventilate internal heating sources to the outside.
- Install weather stripping and/or replace stripping that is worn.
- Install reflective window tints to reduce the work of your air conditioning unit.
- Make sure your attic and walls are insulated properly.
- Strategically landscape with trees and shrubbery to reduce the amount of sun light on and around your home.
- Install awnings over windows to prevent the sun from shinning into your home.
Long-Term Savings Tip:
- Select energy-efficient products when you buy new cooling equipment. Your contractor should be able to give you energy fact sheets for different types, models, and designs to help you compare energy usage and save money.
- On new air condition units, look for a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). The current minimum is 13 SEER for central air conditioners. ENERGY STAR models are 13 SEER or more.
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