Cooling bills can present a major expense in our St. Cloud, Florida, climate. If you’re paying too much for home comfort, we have several suggestions that will help. Lower your utility bills without sacrificing your home comfort. Try these tips to enhance your air conditioner’s efficiency and for a more affordable home.
Change the Air Filter
The air filter in your AC system captures dust, dander, pollen and other irritants that circulate in the air. Over time, the filter will become clogged. This makes it harder for the air conditioner to pull air through the media. A dirty filter results in an overworked system. Check the air filter once a month for visible dirt and swap it out for a new filter if you can see that it’s dirty. Change the filter no less than once every three months for the best energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
Schedule Annual Maintenance
You should schedule a tune-up for your air conditioner once a year. During this visit, your technician will carefully inspect the system for signs of wear and potential repair needs. The technician will also lubricate moving parts, tighten electrical connections, clean the interior components, and handle other essential tasks that help the air conditioner run more efficiently.
Clean Around the Outdoor Condenser Unit
Check the condenser unit outside and see if there are any leaves, branches or other debris around it. The area around the outdoor condenser unit should be clear for at least two feet in all directions. Trim the grass low in this area or use mulch or gravel to keep weeds and other plants from growing. The goal is to provide the condenser unit with unobstructed airflow for the best possible performance.
Adjust Your Thermostat
Set the thermostat mindfully, so you’re using as little energy as possible throughout the year. Turn the temperature up in warm weather months to keep the home as warm as you can comfortably manage. Set the temperature even higher when you’re out of the house or asleep at night. In cool weather months, turn the temperature down, so you’re using as little heating as possible. A programmable thermostat makes it easy to input these settings once and enjoy improved efficiency throughout the year.
Check Your Air Vents
Inspect the air vents in your home and make sure they’re open and unobstructed. Though some homeowners attempt to regulate their home temperatures by closing off vents in unused rooms, this will actually lower your energy efficiency. Closing vents create negative air pressure in certain parts of the house, which will result in uneven cooling and higher energy bills. Keep all of your vents open and clear.
Seal and Insulate the Home
Make sure the cool air that you’re paying for stays inside your home where you can enjoy it. Seal windows and doors with weather stripping beneath the moving parts. Seal any cracks around window and door frames with caulk. Inspect the baseboards for areas that need additional sealing as well.
Add insulation in the attic to keep cool air in and warm air out. You can also insulate around outlets and light switches. The better your home is insulated, the easier it is to stop air from escaping so you’re not paying for air conditioning that you can’t enjoy.
Add Ventilation
The attic can become exceedingly hot and humid, particularly in our Floridian climate. Add ventilation to the attic to let hot air escape. This will help keep the whole home cooler by eliminating this heated space above your living area. Adding mechanical ventilation to your air conditioner will also help you trim your utility costs. This brings fresh cool air in from the outside and helps compensate for the stuffy feeling that you can get in a well-sealed home.
If you’re looking for more ways to improve energy efficiency in your home, give Del-Air a call. From AC repairs to new system installations, we offer all the services and solutions you need to keep your home comfortable at a minimum cost. Reach out today to learn more.
