As the heat increases, so does your energy bills. To keep your air conditioning bills down you may be wondering, is it cheaper to leave your AC on all day in the summer in Lodi?
It’s a widespread belief that turning your AC on and off throughout the day is wasteful. This is actually not true.
Keeping your air conditioner on all the time means you’re not using it very efficiently. We advise moving your thermostat to a higher setting when you’re away, and turning it back down when you come home. You can accomplish this with a programmable thermostat. Or, a smart thermostat will do the work for you.
It’s a lot more work for your system to stay at a consistent setting for many hours. It can also lead to a lot of stress on your system, since it’s repeatedly turning on and off.
So, on top of it increasing your energy bills, it could also result in a shorter life cycle for your HVAC system.
In any case, the bigger the difference between your indoor temperature and the outside temperature, the greater your air conditioning bills will be. So, what can you do to stay cool and keep your energy bills down in the summer season? Here are our ideas based on recommendations from the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) and ENERGY STAR®.
6 Methods to Increase Your Air Conditioner’s Energy Efficiency
- Change Your Temperature. The DOE affirms that you can spend up to 10% less annually on heating and cooling by increasing your thermostat 7-10 degrees when you’re out. During the summer months, it’s advised to set your thermostat at 78 degrees while you’re home and 88 degrees when you’re out. It’s also important to forgo setting your thermostat to a colder setting than normal when you turn on your AC unit. This doesn’t actually cool your home any faster, it just leads to more expensive energy costs. While these temperatures may appear high, there are a number of methods to keep cool without having to always run the air conditioner.
- Use Fans, Curtains and Blinds. ENERGY STAR says turning up the thermostat by a mere 2 degrees and using your ceiling fan can decrease AC by up to 14% over the course of the cooling season. It’s important to remember that fans cool people, not spaces. So, when you head out of the room, turn the fan off to be energy efficient. Additionally, keeping blinds low and curtains closed during the day helps keep conditioned air inside. There are also some window solutions intended to deliver additional insulation and increase energy efficiency.
- Effectively Seal All Doors, Windows and Openings. Leaky cracks all across a home enable cool air to rapidly escape and warmer air to get in. This may lead to your AC having to work harder to keep your home cool and your energy costs to increase. Make certain that any openings, doors and windows are suitably sealed. Caulking or weather-stripping are easy solutions for leaks or drafts around windows and doors.
- Plan for Regular Tune-Ups. Scheduling air conditioner maintenance assures that your AC is always performing at its most efficient. This lets our professionals to detect simple issues before they result in serious troubles. A maintained AC unit is typically more efficient and may even run for a greater period of time.
- Install a Smart Thermostat. One of the best methods to ensure comfort and cost-effectiveness is with a smart thermostat. This thermostat intuitively changes the temperature based on your regular schedule. It works with your smartphone to notice when you’re home or elsewhere to optimize your efficiency. In fact, ENERGY STAR states that a smart thermostat could actually save you about $180 yearly on heating and cooling expenses.
- Consider Replacing Your AC. You can anticipate a properly cared for air conditioner to last for 15-20 years. But if you’re frequently contacting us for air conditioning repair or your utility bills are skyrocketing with no change in thermostat settings, it could be time for a replacement. We offer many energy-efficient air conditioners, including ENERGY STAR models that can help you save more on cooling without compromising comfort.
Increase Your Residence’s Energy Efficiency with Tokay Heating and Air Conditioning
No one wants to see their air conditioning bill climb during the warm months. If you’re wanting more ways to keep your energy usage and bills down this summer, our experts can help. Get in touch with us at 209-257-3156 or contact us online now for extra information.