The summer season is lurking and fast approaching, which means dealing with the hot afternoons and night sweats. Fortunately, with an HVAC unit in place, you can maintain the comfort in your home. But there’s a catch; you might need to run your AC a little more often than usual, which could mean increasing your energy bills. However, there are certain tips that you could use to ensure that your HVAC is energy efficient, so you won’t have to worry about increasing energy bills.
Change and clean your air filters often
Air filters in HVAC units are instrumental in filtering out contaminants and dirt from the air. A clogged air filter creates a boat-load of complications forcing your HVAC to work a little harder than usual and eventually decrease its energy efficiency. Experts recommend replacing your air filter at least every three months during preventative maintenance and cleaning them regularly.
Schedule HVAC servicing
Most homeowners overlook routine HVAC maintenance services, trying to dodge extra costs. Nonetheless, scheduling timely and regular seasonal tune-ups is the best way to ensure that your unit runs efficiently. During these tune-ups, your HVAC contractor will inspect the health of your unit, look for impending trouble and repair it in its early stages, ensuring that its energy use is at containable levels.
Install a smart thermostat
Investing in a smart or programmable thermostat is yet another excellent way to ensure your HVAC is energy efficient this summer. A smart thermostat adjusts the temperature automatically according to your liking and desires, even in your absence. This means that you don’t have to waste energy cooling your home after leaving the heating unit on during the night. This small gadget goes a long way into saving a few dollars for you.
Fixing all leaking ducts
Little known to a majority of homeowners, about 30 percent of your home’s cooling and heating energy sips out through leaky ducts and translates into a loss. A great percentage of the air pumped into the unit for your home’s comfort escapes if your HVAC duct system harbors cracks and damages. If you suspect that leaky duct systems are to blame for energy inefficiency in your home, consider sealing them and start saving on energy.
Check-out your window treatments
Your window treatments play an instrumental role in regulating your home’s indoor temperature. You could use curtains and blinds that allow air to flow freely into your house during the hot afternoons. During the night, ensure that the windows are well insulated to prevent air from escaping. These window treatment tips can have a huge impact on how long your AC runs and, in turn, improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Minimize heat build-up activities in your home
Have you ever noticed how your home immediately becomes hot and warm when using the stove-top or when someone uses the hot shower during the hot afternoons? You aren’t hallucinating. Activities such as using the dryer or dishwasher, boiling water in your indoor kitchen, or using the open grill increase your home’s indoor temperature. The result forces the air conditioner to overwork while trying to cool down the temperatures. This may reflect on your energy bills. You might want to try alternative methods to avoid building up heat in your home. For instance, your wet clothes could use a few hours of air and sun drying outside, or you could take the cooking out. By all means, avoid activities that increase humidity and hot temperatures in your home to improve your HVAC’s energy efficiency.
Only cool rooms that are occupied
You don’t have to waste energy cooling empty rooms such as the storage areas, guest rooms, or laundry areas. Go economical and use your HVAC in rooms that are occupied and need cooling.
You don’t have to compromise your comfort to achieve healthy, economical energy consumption. These above-discussed tips will help you achieve your HVAC’s energy efficiency this summer.
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