As you probably know, few HAVC appliances gobble electricity as hungrily as the air conditioner. Even a window unit will require 1,500 watts of energy, and others will be even more powerful. If you have central air conditioning, you might find your summer electric bills tripling or quadrupling than spring or winter bills. Obviously, saving money is critical, but it cannot be easy because the answer does not involve turning off your HAVC.
If you do, the heat can become unbearable, and if anyone in your house has medical conditions, high heat could be a health hazard. The trick to saving money is to understand the technology and how adjustments can save you money. Additionally, simply attending the windows can end up saving significant money over time.
Manual versus auto
According to Nashua HVAC, When it comes to HAVC, you can waste a lot of energy and money by leaving your air conditioner on auto. Although doing so is obviously more comfortable, you can save money by leaving the setting on manual and adjusting it when you become uncomfortable. The delay between feeling comfortable and uncomfortable will take 10 to 20 minutes.
This short time saves money because an air conditioner set to auto will kick in as soon as the temperature gets too high. Over time, it can save you significant money while allowing you to remain comfortable 95 percent of the time rather than 100 percent of the time. Additionally, manually turning the air conditioner off as soon as you feel comfortable can help you save money instead of leaving it on auto and having the thermostat shut off at a certain temperature.
Fan versus cool
If it is not terribly hot outside, you can save money by relying on the air conditioner’s fan. Doing so does not utilize the cooling system, which is what eats up all the electricity. If you use the fan during the day, you might get hot, so it might not be an option. However, using the fan at night when it is cool allows you to have a breeze blow over you without wasting energy.
The difference a few degrees can make
Because there is no single way to save money, you must do so incrementally and there is no better way to save incrementally than by adjusting the air conditioner upward by five degrees in the summer.
If you are used to running the air conditioner at 68 degrees, you might initially find 72 or 73 degrees too warm. However, 73 degrees is the equivalent of a spring day. Once you acclimate to this setting, you will be comfortable. As time passes, this type of small adjustment can save you 10 to 15 percent on your electric bill.
Personal schedules
Many air conditioners are smart, and they turn on and off at certain times. However, it is important not to use the timer to turn on the air conditioner. For instance, if you use the smart settings, the air conditioner will run when it might otherwise be off, and it is easy to forget the the air conditioner is on when you leave to run errands. Consequently, a pre-timed schedule can end up running the air in an empty house.
Windows
Keeping the blinds closed or the curtains drawn can help keep sunlight outside the house. If you open the blinds or the curtains, the sun will create a natural hot spot at every window throughout the house, and these hot spots will impact your thermostat’s interpretation of how hot the house is. Consequently, it will run more often than it would if you kept the windows covered.
In terms of visibility and enjoying the view of your yard, you can keep the blinds open if you plant a tree in the yard or install an awning. Another way to enjoy visibility while saving money is to install tinted panes over the windows. Doing so can keep out the sun’s UV rays while allowing you to enjoy the view. Finally, you can keep most of the windows covered and only open the windows in the room you are in.
Maintenance
Ensuring the air conditioner is clean will help it run more efficiently. For instance, if your air filters are dusty, the cool air will be blocked by this layer of dirt. As a result, the room will not cool as quickly. Of course, the thermostat in your air conditioner will notice the temperature and keep the motor running. Moreover, the motor will run longer and less efficiently, costing you a lot of money.
Other appliances
Keeping your summer bill down does not always have to revolve around the usage of the air conditioner. Instead, you can ensure not to use energy hogs like an oven to cook meals. In addition to being energy hogs, ovens contribute significantly to higher kitchen temperatures, which will cause a central air conditioner to run longer.
Instead of using the oven, you can eat salads or sandwiches. When you need to cook something, you can use the microwave. If these options are not really attractive options, you can cook meals on one particular day and freeze them in family-sized servings. During the week, all you have to do is thaw these pre-cooked meals and eat leftovers.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
