How to Keep Your Electric Bill Cool in Summer |
How to Keep Your Electric Bill Cool in Summer
Simple tips to keep costs down
By BT Land, Residential Air Conditioning Manager, Fox Service Company
BT is a licensed air-conditioning technician with more than 25 years of experience.
As we begin to enter the dog days of summer, the cost of running the air-conditioner becomes a concern for most homeowners. Generally, staying cool accounts for 60 to 70 percent of the average residential electric bill.
Besides the impact on the purse, many homeowners are now conscious of their “carbon footprint” and use of energy. Utility bills and overall electricity usage can be reduced through simple steps and regular maintenance.
Get a yearly inspection of your air-conditioning system. Annual maintenance inspections will help insure that the refrigerant in the system is at the correct level, the outdoor condensing unit is clean and free of debris, the ductwork is free of leaks, all wiring connections are tight and safe and everything is working properly.
Install a programmable thermostat with a built-in timer. Most new thermostats are pre-programmed for the average home schedule and raise the temperature during the day when no one is home and during the middle of the night when you are sleeping and producing less body heat. They can also be set to your schedule. Contrary to popular belief, keeping your home at a constant temperature actually increases energy usage.
Inspect air filters once-a-month and replace if necessary. Dirty filters make HVAC systems work harder, run longer and consume more electricity.
Make sure that all supply air vents are completely open in all rooms and nothing is blocking the return air vent. Some people are under the false impression that closing supply vents in unused rooms saves money; it doesn’t and can actually harm your air conditioning system.
Go warmer. For every degree cooler a thermostat is set, energy use is increased by six to eight percent. A good practice is to set summer cooling at 78 degrees.
Crank-up the ceiling fans. Circulation extends the impact of air conditioning and moves body heat away from you. Make sure your fan is blowing down in the summer and up in the winter. Remember, heat rises; if your fan is blowing upwards it is pushing warmer air down.
Cool your outside air-conditioning unit. Condensers shaded by trees or awnings use up to 10 percent less electricity. Be careful not to obstruct the air flow to or away from the condenser as this will reduce its efficiency. Cutting the air conditioning system off while mowing around the outside condensing unit will help to keep the condenser coil clean.
Remember what your parents said--if you are not using the light, turn it off.
Traditional light bulbs create a lot of heat. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) use 75 percent less energy and generate only one-quarter of the heat. Some CFL bulbs are color-corrected light and are closer to natural sunlight.
If you don’t have a ridge vent, install an attic fan to remove hot air from the attic. Austin Energy notes that reducing the attic temperature 10 degrees or more saves up to 10 percent on cooling costs. An electric fan will cost about $1 a month to run 24/7; solar-powered fans are also available.
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