How To Reduce Your Air Conditioning Bills

Posted on: 20 September 2017

During the summer, high outdoor temperatures can place a huge strain on your home's central air conditioning system. An air conditioner that is working overtime is at high risk for experiencing mechanical problems and will also make you suffer from high energy bills. Fortunately, there are a few different ways that you can reduce your air conditioner's energy usage to save you money on your monthly energy bills.

Use Fans For Ventilation

One of the simplest ways to reduce your overall energy usage in the summer is to make use of fans in specific rooms that suffer from high heat to improve ventilation. However, be sure to turn your fans off when you're no longer at home to save energy. Furthermore, you should make sure that all of the interior doors in your home are open: this allows for proper ventilation and dispersion of cooled air throughout your home, which means that your air conditioner won't have to work as long or as hard.

Close the Curtains

Another simple way to cut down on the amount of heat that your home is exposed to is to close the curtains and blinds in rooms that receive a lot of sunlight. Curtains that are colored lightly, or are made out of reflective or semi-reflective materials, will be more effective at keeping the sun's heat out than non-reflective, dark colored curtains.

Reduce Appliance Usage

One of the best ways to reduce the amount of energy that your air conditioner uses is to reduce the amount of heat within your home. This means avoiding doing certain things inside that can generate a lot of heat, like cooking or running appliances. You can make choices that cut down on your interior appliance usage, like grilling food outside or letting your dishes air dry instead of using the dishwasher. Not only will this reduce the amount of energy these other appliances use, but the amount of strain on your air conditioner will be reduced as well.

Consider General Maintenance

Another good way to cut down on air conditioner energy usage is to make sure that it is properly maintained and serviced. Some things you can do yourself, like checking the air filter in the unit (it usually can be taken out of the bracket by hand and be either replaced by a new filter, or washed, then dried and replaced). Other types of maintenance (like ductwork cleaning and any sort of mechanical repairs) will require a professional to come in and service the unit. Ensuring that your air conditioner is in peak operating condition can help ensure that you are using the minimum amount of energy each month.

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