Five Ways to Cut Down on Air Conditioning Costs This Summer

The best thing you can do is have a professional energy audit of your home – sometimes utility companies will even perform this service for free. If you cannot get an audit performed by a professional, you can do an amateur audit yourself. Go outside and check along windows and doors to see if there is cold air leaking out from inside. If you find leaks – seal them.

You want your thermostat to be in the main area of your home and out of the way of direct sunlight. If the sun is shining in on your thermostat, your AC is probably blowing more often than it needs to.

Make sure to keep your blinds and curtains closed when the hot sun is shining through the window. If you don’t need any light, you can also put up room darkening curtains for extra blockage.

Ceiling fans in particular can help a room feel up to 10 degrees cooler without running an AC unit while using substantially less energy. Portable fans can also be used to circulate air and cool down people in their homes.

There is a false notion that it makes sense to leave the thermostat set to the temp you enjoy while home even when you’re away. People believe that the energy it takes to start up the AC and cool the house back down negates any savings created by keeping it cool throughout the day and night. The fact is that air conditioning units run with the most efficiency when on for longer durations. The easiest way to see energy savings is to use a programmable thermostat that increases the temperature when your home is not occupied and kicks it on right before you return home.

At Metzger’s Heating & Cooling in Kalamazoo, air conditioning is one of our many specialties.