How to Solve Common HVAC Issues

Posted on: 4 August 2017

During the heat of the summer, keeping a home cool can be a huge cost. The expense to run the air conditioning during the summer often makes up the majority of the typical electricity bill. This means any significant reduction in outlay on cooling can be very valuable. As it turns out, the average homeowner spends considerably more on air conditioning during the summer than they really need to, which means that the opportunity to reap significant savings does exist. Here are seven practical and valuable ways to spend less on summer home cooling:

• Set the thermostat up a little higher.

Keeping a home chilly in hot weather is a bad idea for anyone who cares about their energy bills. Turning the thermostat up even just a few degrees can result in surprisingly large benefits. Ultimately, fighting against mother nature is a losing proposition, so putting up with slightly more warmth during hot weather is just common sense.

• Wear appropriate clothing.

If it's hot outside, dress like it. Wearing long sleeves, multiple layers, or thick, warm fabrics during the summer simply doesn't make any sense. Putting on a light t-shirt and some shorts instead will make warmer temperatures much more bearable. Remember it's always much cheaper to cool the human body than it is to cool an entire home.

• Turn the AC off (or down) when there's no one home.

Running the AC all day while the house is empty is a huge waste of energy. While it is sometimes claimed that cooling down a home that has become hot will cost more than leaving the AC running all day, this is a complete myth. Shutting down the AC — or at least setting the thermostat higher —will always save money. Homeowners who don't want to have to come back to a warm home can program their thermostat so the AC starts running shortly before their arrival.

• Use fans.

While fans don't actually lower the temperature, they do make it feel significantly cooler. That's because the air that a fan blows displaces the warm air surrounding a person's body. This means the more air moving around a home, the better. Since the energy used by a fan is minuscule compared to that consumed by air conditioning, fans are a great way to save. While box fans are valuable on their own, installing ceiling fans in a house lacking this feature is also a great idea.

• Replace the AC.

Old air conditioning units are significantly less efficient than newer models. While getting a new AC will obviously require an initial outlay, it should pay off in lower monthly energy bills before too long. Maximize savings by purchasing the most efficient model currently available. Buying the right size of AC is also important since an oversized unit will lead to energy waste.

• Add insulation.

Homes with insufficient insulation can leak cool air at a prodigious rate. Insulation is a simple way to keep a house cooler while spending very little. Many attics are poorly insulated, so homeowners should be especially sure to check if this area could use more insulation. It's also important to replace worn weather stripping around doors and windows and to use caulk to seal up small cracks in these same areas.

• Reduce heating from light.

Electric lights create a lot of warmth, spiking cooling costs unnecessarily. Many people leave the lights on even in rooms that stay empty for hours. Turning off lights that don't need to be on is an easy to way save money. Switching out older bulbs for newer, more energy efficient varieties is also smart.

Air conditioning is simply a massive energy drain, especially during the hot months of summer. While obviously, this is not a problem that can be entirely solved, it can certainly be somewhat mitigated. Any homeowner who doesn't' try to limit their summertime cooling expenses is basically giving away money—which is especially unwise because most of the valuable tips described above are easy to follow.

Contact a company that can help you with your home's heating and cooling system for more information and assistance.