|
9 |
Make sure your air conditioner
is the proper size for the area you are
cooling. The wrong size air conditioner
will use more electricity and increase your
energy bills. A unit that is too large for
a given area will cool the area too quickly,
causing the air conditioner to frequently
turn itself on and off. If a unit shuts
off quickly, chances are it hasn’t been
running long enough to reduce the room’s
humidity and you’ll be uncomfortable. If
your air conditioner is too small, it will
run constantly on hot days without ever
getting good results. |
|
10 |
The location of your air conditioner
has a lot to do with how efficient it will
be. If you have a choice, locate your units
on the north, east or the best-shaded side
of your home. If the unit is exposed to
direct sunlight, it has to work much harder
and use more energy to cool your home. Keep
shrubbery away from your air conditioner
since it blocks vents and reduces the unit’s
ability to exhaust air. |
|
11 |
Regular maintenance will insure
that your air conditioner operates efficiently
throughout the summer. Check the filter
once a month by holding it up to a bright
light. If you can’t see through it, it’s
time to clean or replace the filter. You
can also check your owner’s guide to find
out how to safely clean the condenser coils
and fins on the outside of the unit. |
|
12 |
On very hot days, you can save
energy by closing the fresh air intake on
your unit. Cooling fresh, warm outside air
requires more electricity than re-cooling
the air that is already circulating in your
home. |
|
13 |
You can save on cooling costs
by avoiding cooling rooms that are not occupied.
If you like your home to be cool when you
come home at the end of the day, special
automatic timers for air conditioners are
available that will turn the unit on before
you arrive home. |
|
14 |
On hot summer days, the temperature
in your attic can reach 150 degrees. Improving
the ventilation in your attic will lower
the temperature of the entire house and
make your air conditioner’s job a lot easier.
Installing an attic fan that is controlled
by a thermostat to exhaust the hot air can
greatly improve the comfort of your home. |
|
15 |
Depending on the size of your
home, you can save 3% on your cooling costs
for every degree you raise your thermostat
in the summer. Raising the thermostat from
73 to 78 degrees can mean savings of up
to 15% in cooling costs. |
|
16 |
|
Fans can make your air conditioner's
job easier while saving you money. Pedestal
and ceiling fans improve the air circulation
in your home, allowing you to raise the
air conditioner’s thermostat. In moderate
heat, fans can sometimes completely replace
air conditioners. Ceiling fans use only
about one tenth the electricity of a typical
home air conditioner, and therefore cost
only one-tenth as much to operate. |
|
17 |
To stay most comfortable during
the hottest hours of the day, do your cooking,
laundry and bathing in the early morning
or late evenings. These activities all increase
the level of humidity in your home, making
it less comfortable and forcing the air
conditioner to work even harder. If other
heat generating appliances, such as irons,
ovens and blow dryers are used only in the
early morning or late evening, your home
will stay cooler. |
|
18 |
Drapes, shades and awnings shield
windows from the hot sun, keeping your home
cooler. Your storm windows also come in
handy during the summer since they keep
cool air in and hot air out. Weatherstripping
and caulking windows and door frames will
also keep cool air from leaking out. Certain
reflective films can be used on windows
to screen out the hot rays of the sun without
reducing the amount of light you receive.
And, when doors and windows are shut, your
air conditioner will operate more efficiently. |
