Are you paying attention to how you’re operating your air conditioner?
Buying a new air conditioner is an investment. If you buy high-efficiency equipment, you are investing in years of money-saving performance. You are also investing in your home comfort. Maximizing that investment is crucial.
Do you want to maximize the lifespan of your unit? There are a few things that you should stop doing. These things can harm your air conditioner, maximize lifespan, reduce efficiency and diminish home comfort.
STOP…forgetting to change your furnace filter.
A dirty filter restricts airflow. This means that your air conditioner has to work harder to cool your home – reducing efficiency and decreasing lifespan.
STOP…putting off annual preventative maintenance.
We are already well into the cooling season, so the time for preventative maintenance this year has passed. However, pencil in a reminder for next year. Many manufacturers actually require preventative maintenance for full warranty coverage.
STOP…planting things too close to your unit.
Your outdoor air conditioning component needs “room to breathe” so to speak. When you plant too close to your air conditioner, it can restrict airflow. Plus, plants may GROW INTO your air conditioner, damaging important components.
STOP…constantly adjusting your non-programmable thermostat.
Programmable thermostats are nifty because they do the thinking/adjustments for you. If you are constantly adjusting your non-programmable thermostat, your unit could be going through frequent on/off cycles – consuming more energy and reducing system lifespan.
STOP…drastically dropping the temperature to cool your home more quickly.
Did you know that just because your thermostat is set at a lower temperature, ti does not mean your home is going to get cooler more quickly? Your air conditioner will simply run longer. If it feels like your home is never at the right temperature, you may want to talk to your contractor about zoning or making sure your air conditioner is the correct size for your home.
STOP…forgetting to schedule a cleaning appointment for your air conditioner and ductwork.
Like a dirty furnace filter or plants too close to your air conditioner, dirt and grime around your unit and in your ductowork can restrict airflow – reducing efficiency and decreasing system life. Plus, cleaning your air distribution system is important for indoor air quality.
Are you guilty of any of the above? If you need some more cooling system advice, turn to your local contractor.
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What do you do indoors during the summer?
Are you already sick of the summer heat? Need an escape from the sun’s rays? Luckily your air conditioner is here to save the day! There are a lot of fun summertime activities that you can take indoors. When the heat gets too intense, try to think of some things you can do inside. (more…)How do you keep cool during the summer?
The beginning of summer is only a few short weeks away! Do you have any special tricks for keeping cool during the summer? The best way to keep cool is by enjoying your central air conditioner, but what are the other things you can do to keep cool?
Water-based activities. There is nothing more refreshing than jumping in a cool pool on a hot day! Water-based activities can be a great way to keep cool outdoors. Start a water balloon fight, visit the local pool or turn on the sprinkler.
Practice “smart” entertaining. Save your parties for later in the evening, or create a shaded outdoor living space. It can be significantly cooler in the shade during a hot summer day.
Know how to properly run fans. During the summer, you want your ceiling fans to run in a counter-clockwise direction so that the air blows down into your rooms. You can also point a box fan out of the window to blow hot air out. Just be careful. We don’t want to encourage air leaks and INCREASED utility bill expenses.
Drink plenty of cool beverages. A cool glass of water or tea can help you cool down on really hot days! It is important to stay hydrated!
If you’re really feeling warm…take a cool shower. This can help lower your body temperature.
Of course, nothing quite keeps you cool like central air. Make sure to schedule your last-minute spring maintenance appointment with your local contractor before things really heat up!
What else do you do during the summer to keep cool?
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Did you know that air conditioners come in different sizes?
There are a lot of options when it comes to heating and cooling equipment. You have a choice of efficiency, system type, comfort features…you name it! Air conditioners even come in different sizes. HOWEVER, do you have a choice when it comes to the air conditioner in your home?
Your home is unique; your comfort needs are unique – the size of your air conditioner will reflect this. It is important to have a properly sized air conditioner. Your heating and cooling contractor must come in and do a load calculation to determine the right size air conditioner for your home.
If your HVAC system is too large, it will run for less time. While this may sound like a good thing…it isn’t. Your air conditioner could be going through costly on/off cycles. It is more efficient to run your air conditioner longer at a lower capacity. Plus, if your air conditioner is not running long enough, your system may not be properly dehumidifying your home. This can lead to mold growth and poor overall indoor air quality. That’s not even to mention the negative impact a large air conditioner can have on home comfort.
If your HVAC system is too small, it will run longer at a higher capacity. This will raise electricity bills, AND your home may never reach your desired comfort levels.
Longer run times and more frequent on/off cycles can reduce efficiency and system lifespan! Your air conditioner is an investment in home comfort. You want that investment to pay off over the years.
This is why we consider quotes over the phone or on the back of a business card a red flag. Since your home is unique, your contractor should always come out to your home and perform a Manual J load calculation before determining the equipment you need in your home.
Did your contractor perform a Manual J load calculation when you had your air conditioner installed?
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Did you know that cooling costs comprise over HALF of your monthly utilities during the summer?
Cooling your home can be expensive. And cooling your home with an old, inefficient air conditioner is even MORE expensive. With summer only a few weeks away, now is the time to invest in a new air conditioner. Things are already starting to heat up!
The most important thing to keep in mind while you are searching for a new air conditioner is efficiency ratings. Air conditioner efficiency, measured in SEER, is going to determine just how much money you drop out-of-pocket cooling your home month after month.
SEER stands for the “Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ration” and is a measure of cooling efficiency over a season of use. This measurement is used for both air conditioners and heat pumps – the higher the SEER, the more efficient the system.
Air conditioners must be at least 13 SEER (in northern states) and 14 SEER (for states in the South). Heat pumps must be 14 SEER everywhere. If you are looking for a high-efficiency model, check out models that have an ENERGY STAR designation. These models go above-and-beyond standard efficiency. However, even a standard-efficiency model can be a significant upgrade from your old air conditioner in terms of efficiency and performance features.
When it comes to selecting a new air conditioner, you should always invest in the most efficient air conditioner you can afford. Although upfront costs for a high-efficiency air conditioner are going to be higher than a standard-efficiency equivalent, the unit may pay for itself over the course of its life in energy-saving performance.
Before you choose an air conditioner or heat pump from your home, make sure you schedule an appointment with your local HVAC contractor.
How efficient is the air conditioner in your home?
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Do you close the registers in rooms that do not need cool air during the summer?
It may sound intuitive – if a room doesn’t need cool air, why waste the energy dollars trying to keep that room cool? However, it’s not that straightforward. Heating and cooling equipment is complicated. Sometimes what you think is a good idea, may not be.
It is not a good idea to control the temperatures of your rooms by closing registers. Why is that? Well, your HVAC system is designed to heat and cool a certain amount of space. When you start messing with the registers, it affects that amount of space. Closing registers has the same affect that a dirty filter has; it raises the pressure in your system.
If you have a variable-speed motor, this can cause it to operate at a higher capacity for longer periods of time – essentially negating any of the efficiency benefits gained by investing in variable-speed equipment. If you have a single-speed motor, it may not be able to maintain proper airflow. Low airflow = low comfort levels.
And, those are just the problems that occur at the surface. The increased pressure also has additional consequences for other parts of your HVAC system. It could increase duct leakage – lowering comfort and raising utility bills. Or, even worse, you could wind up with a frozen coil or a broken compressor – two CRUCIAL cooling components.
All is not lost though. There are intuitive heating and air conditioning systems that do allow you to control comfort from room to room. It’s called a zoning system. Make sure you ask your HVAC contractor about your zoning options.
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Are you worried about high summer utility bills?
Nobody likes receiving a high electric bill. Unfortunately, electric bills tend to soar during the summer due to increased cooling demand. Did you know that cooling your home can make up to 60% of your utility bills expenses during the summer?? That’s a significant chunk of change.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to lessen the impact the cooling season has on your wallet. Small adjustments can make a big difference when it comes to your electric bill.
Here are some things you may be doing around your home that could raise utility bills. Quit doing these things and you could potentially save money this summer.
Do you have a non-programmable thermostat? Make sure after you set up the temperature you don’t mess with it. Making constant adjustments to your non-programmable thermostat can raise utility bills. Plus, a thermostat set at a lower temperature WON’T actually cool your home more quickly – it will just make your air conditioner run longer.
In or out? Constantly opening and closing exterior doors can let your cool, conditioned air escape your home. Make sure that you and your family aren’t constantly going in and out of the house.
And speaking of the outside air… It may be tempting to open the windows and doors, but it is not a good idea. Not only does it let unfiltered air into your home, but it also results in costly air leaks. Remember, it’s not your job to cool the neighborhood.
When was the last time you changed your furnace filter? A dirty furnace filter lowers indoor air quality and can restrict airflow. When airflow is restricted, your air conditioner is going to have to work harder to keep your home cool – raising utility bills and lowering home comfort. An overworked air conditioner will also have a shorter lifespan than the same air conditioner operating at optimal performance levels.
Not using a room? DO NOT close the registers or vents in that room. Although it seems like it makes sense to shut off access to rooms that do not need conditioned air, this can actually harm your air conditioner and result in higher bills. If you are looking for customized comfort control, a zoning system is the better option. Remember, your air conditioner and ductwork are sized to heat or cool a certain amount of space. When you mess with those calculations, you mess with performance.
Have you scheduled preventative maintenance? As summer draws nearer and nearer, it is more important than ever to make sure you have scheduled preventative maintenance for your air conditioning system. Your contractor will make sure that your air conditioner is working at peak performance levels, AND they can catch any minor issues before they become big problems.
Are you ready to tackle the summer heat? Are there any other things you do during the summer to lower utility bills?
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Do you have an outdoor living space?
Grab a cool drink, pull up a lounge chair and put on the sunglasses…summer will be here in just a few short weeks! How do you plan on spending the season – huddled indoors or enjoying the sunshine?
Having a designated outdoor living space makes it much more convenient to enjoy the warmer weather. If you don’t have one, you could be missing out! If you are considering adding one to your home, there are some things to keep in mind.
Spend less time indoors. Spending lots of time indoors can increase the demand on your air conditioner and raise utility bills. Nothing rains on a warm summer day like a high electric bill.
Build in the shade. Think you can’t enjoy an outdoor living space on really hot days? Think again. If you set up your space in a shaded area, it can be much cooler. As long as you stay hydrated and out of the sun, the heat shouldn’t hold you back.
Think about the plants nearby. Live in an area that has mosquitoes? Consider planting a citronella plant near your outdoor space. Worried about sunburns? Consider planting an aloe plant. Adding plants can make your outdoor space much more inviting. Why not plan things that have more than one use?
Add a grilling area. Taking the cooking outdoors during the summer is a great way to lessen the demand on your air conditioner. Plus, nothing quite says summer like a backyard barbecue.
Think about how often you are going indoors and outdoors. Opening and closing exterior doors many time can let in hot air and increase the demand on your air conditioner.
Have a split system air conditioner? Make sure to design your space away from your condenser. You don’t want to block airflow and lower efficiency.
Are you considering an outdoor living space?
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Are you planning on hosting a get-together anytime soon?
May is starting to wind down. June will be here before you know it. Chances are, the kids are already out of school, the pools are opening, and the warm weather has officially arrived. There is no time like the summer to have a gathering or throw a party.
However, summer also means higher electric bills due to greater air conditioning demand. Luckily, there are some things you can do to make sure that your air conditioner is working as efficiently as possible, including things to keep in mind if you are having a get-together.
Stay either indoors or outdoors. Constantly opening and closing exterior doors can let in that hot air and make it harder for your air conditioner to get your home to the set temperature.
It’s better to bring things outdoors…provided it isn’t TOO hot of course. More people in your home can mean a greater cooling demand because of body heat. Consider creating a shaded outdoor living space for you and your guests.
Take advantage of the grill. The oven can contribute additional heat to your indoor environment. The weather is nicer than it usually is; consider investing in a grill to lessen the demand on your air conditioner.
Know when to host the event. Consider scheduling the event later in the evening so you can take advantage of cooler weather.
It’s nearing the end of spring, but there is still time to schedule preventative maintenance with your local HVAC contractor. Contractors are only going to get busier and busier as things heat up. Don’t delay for too long.
Do you do anything special during parties to save energy?
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Could your home benefit from a zoning system?
We’ve been talking about airflow a lot. That’s because it is so important when it comes to efficiency and comfort. Unfortunately, it can be hard to get every single part of your home at its ideal temperature setting. This can lead to the temptation to do things like fiddle with the thermostat daily, or close vents. However, there’s an easier, whole-home solution – a zoning system.
A zoning system goes into your ductwork and is able to control the amount of air delivered to specific areas of your home. When a contractor installs a zoning system, they group your home by room or groups of rooms – each controlled by their own thermostat. This way, if you have a room that gets warmer than another, or you like it set a different temperature, just the right amount of heating or cooling power will be devoted to that area of your home. For example, if you like to sleep in a cool bedroom, you can have that room on a separate zone and set it to a cooler temperature than the rest of the house at night.
Zoning systems are a particularly good solution for homes that have multiple stories. Upper floors may become too warm at certain times during the year, while lower floors may be too cool at other points. If you put your upper story in a separate zone, you can even out the temperatures in your home.
In summary, a zoning system can…
- Decrease your utility bill spending
- Maximize home comfort through customized controls