Home cooling doesn’t come cheap. No one knows this better than home and business owners. Especially here in Texas, our AC systems are precious units that we all hold up to a higher standard. Around here, AC is essential.
But it’s easy to get carried away. One day, you’re enjoying a morning to yourself with a hot breakfast in front of you and a cup of cold brew coffee in your hand. The kids are sleeping soundly (for the moment), and you’re looking forward to the weekend ahead.
Then, you get a notification on your phone saying that your energy bill is ready to view.
That’s when it hits you.
How in the world could home cooling costs be this much?
That’s it! We’re shutting it off, you think. However, that’s not exactly a reasonable response. So the next steps are asking yourself what you can do to prevent your home’s cooling costs from skyrocketing again.
Here are a few things you can do to cut cooling costs in your home.
1. Utilize Ceiling Fans And Other Cooling Fans To Improve Home Cooling
If your home has ceiling fans, use them! While they won’t necessarily cool the air already in the room, they will disperse the air. This helps make it feel cooler compared to leaving the room feeling stagnant.
In addition, there are a ton of cooling fans out there that can help keep temps down. You can opt for fancy fans like the Dyson Cool Link or a more practical choice like the Honeywell fan from Amazon. Whichever model you choose, you can save on cooling costs by turning your thermostat up a few degrees and giving these fans a chance to cool you down.
2. Invest In Energy-Efficient Windows, Blinds, And Curtains
Use every aspect of your home and get the most out of its design. Blinds and curtains are a great way to keep out unneeded sunlight and warmth. Blackout curtains are specially created to keep out nearly 100% of additional light, which helps if you’re someone who can’t sleep with the lights on.
You can also invest in energy-efficient windows that increase your home’s insulation. These windows help keep cool air inside during the warmer months. These windows often have multiple panes and a special coating to reflect infrared light.
3. Set AC Unit To Auto Or Have It Programmed To Optimize Cooling Bill
You may not know that running your AC unit at the lowest temperature for an endless amount of time can do more harm than good. This is because your HVAC unit is working hard 24/7 without a reasonable break, using up all its resources to maintain the temperature. So, it’s more likely to run into problems if it’s running continuously than if you were to set it on the Auto position. This allows your AC to run cool and then have a break in between when it needs it. Chances are, you won’t notice the difference, and your home will still feel cool inside.
Running into AC trouble? Give us a call and let the experts handle the job.
In addition, you can use a smart thermostat and place it on a programmed setting. For example, if your home is empty from 8am to 5pm, set your thermostat to the mid or upper 70s while you’re away. Then whenever you get home, you can have it go down to a cooler temperature that allows you to live and sleep comfortably.
The same rules of programming your AC apply to you whenever you’re out of town. Keep it on a higher setting for as long as you’re gone and program it to turn back on right before you make it home. Keep in mind that if you have pets, you’ll likely not want to keep temperatures too high inside. In this case, set your thermostat to a temperature that is closer to your own comfort level.
4. Avoid Using Too Many Heat-Producing Appliances
It might sound silly, but having too many appliances plugged in or working at one time can really heat up a room or two. You may notice this occurring more often when you’re cooking. One minute, you’re comfortable and excited about making your favorite dish. Next, you’ve got the oven, microwave, and a few other appliances going, and you’re feeling extremely hot. Your first instinct is probably to crank up the AC until you cool down.
In the future, you should try limiting the number of appliances you have running all at once and plan for a different preparation method when cooking bigger meals. If you can’t avoid making a meal without several appliances, layer down and wear light clothing as you cook.
5. Get Regular Maintenance On Your HVAC System
Getting regular maintenance may feel like a gimmick, but it’s no joke! Running regular maintenance on your HVAC unit can be a make or break of the system itself. Small issues can be spotted sooner rather than later and save you hundreds on repairs.
We get it! It’s easy to skip out on seasonal maintenance appointments and consider doing it another time. But what you’re truly missing out on is the chance to make the necessary repairs when you need them. Otherwise, you can be stuck with a laundry list of things to do and an out-of-service AC system when you need it most. Because as we all know, summertime temperatures wait for no one! And the last thing you want is to be left with a repair bill worth hundreds of dollars in the middle of 90-degree weather.
We Know HVAC Systems Because We Know How Important AC Is In Texas
Our technicians have the knowledge and experience of working on HVAC units throughout the Houston area. We’ve seen it all, which is how we know we can help you and your family get the most out of your HVAC unit.
The goal of our team isn’t to tie you up with a ton of unnecessary repairs. We want your HVAC system to work for you, not the other way around. When you need a team of experienced professionals for repairs or maintenance, you need Valderrama AC & Refrigeration. Contact us today for all your HVAC needs.