The summer is often the most expensive period of the year for energy bills, particularly within the HVAC realm. Your air conditioner carries a much larger loan than any other time of the year during the summer as daily temperatures reach 100 degrees.
At Whipple Plumbing, we’re here to provide the proper HVAC repairs and keep your system humming throughout another sweltering summer. Let’s look at a few smart hacks we often recommend to our clients for things they can do to keep the energy bill down this summer without sacrificing comfort.
Air Filter Changing Frequency
Normally, you should be changing your air filters for the air conditioning system about once every few months. During the summer, we recommend bringing this up to every month. Not only will this improve air quality, it can help keep energy bills down. Dirty filters cause damage to the system, and possibly a breakdown – the repairs if this happens are exponentially more costly than simply ponying up for a new filter every month during this season.
Light Bulbs
If you’re using incandescent light bulbs in your home, a quick way to save some energy is to switch to more efficient LED bulbs. These are a tad more expensive, but when you consider that they save 85 percent of the energy that traditional bulbs do, you’ll make up this cost in a very short period of time.
Ceiling Fan Directions
Did you know that the direction your ceiling fan spins can actually affect how much energy the fan is costing you? During summer, set your fans to rotate counterclockwise – this will cause the fan to push air downward, assisting in circulation of cool air. This will also allow you to raise the thermostat level a few degrees without a change in comfort level.
Drapery
Natural methods of improving heating or cooling are the name of the game in saving energy costs, and a great example is heat-blocking curtains for summer. These keep the home cooler so the air conditioner doesn’t have to use quite as much energy, and they double as décor accessories.
To learn more about conserving energy in the summer, or about any of our HVAC repair services, speak to the experts at Whipple Plumbing today.
