Eight Energy Savings Tips For Your Summer

It looks like we’re going to be home quite a bit this summer, which means two things: first, that your A/C system will be called on more often than usual, and second, that your energy bills will reflect that expanded use.

Save Energy, Same Money: 8 Ways

Want to keep those cooling bills more manageable in the coming months? Try these eight tips:

1. Use your ceiling fan. Running a ceiling fan in tandem with your home cooling system will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about four degrees without affecting your comfort; each degree you raise temperatures in your home will save you about one percent on your bill over an eight-hour period.
2. Watch your window coverings – Up to 30 percent of the unwanted heat in your home comes through the windows, so mind your window treatments and how you use them. Close blinds to reduce solar heat buildup, and consider installing window treatments that reflect light away from your space. Check out this link from the U.S. Department of Energy for more tips on efficiency-promoting window treatments.
3. Use exhaust fans – Use the bathroom fan when taking a shower or bath and a range hood when cooking – this helps remove heat and humidity from your home.
4. Check your air filters – A clogged air filter will reduce airflow from your home heating or cooling system. That will not only raise your energy bills – it will also make your home less comfortable and cause your system to overwork, leading to poorer performance and a possible breakdown.
5. Minimize use of high-heat appliances – The last thing you want to do on a 100-degree day is turn on a 400-degree oven, giving your air conditioner one more cooling load obstacle to overcome. Grill outside when you can.
6. Upgrade your thermostat – If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, consider an upgrade. Programmable thermostats could help you save 10 percent on heating and cooling costs – often enough to offset the cost of the unit in a single year. Smart thermostats give you even more control over your home HVAC system. If you have a programmable thermostat but don’t know how to use it, now’s the time to crack open that owner’s manual.
7. Maintain your equipment – Without annual A/C service, your air conditioner will lose an average of about five percent efficiency each year. Of course efficiency improvements aren’t the only benefit of servicing your equipment: you’ll also get more reliable system operation, avoid costly cooling repairs, and extend the life of your A/C.
8. Replace old cooling equipment – Upgrading to a high-efficiency A/C unit could save you up 30 percent on energy bills compared to older cooling systems. If your cooling system is older than 10 years and has been serviced two or more times in recent years, it’s time to shop for a replacement.

Routine cooling maintenance will keep your home more comfortable and your bills as low as possible – two important things as we shelter-in-place this spring and summer. Schedule your A/C maintenance with JW Pierson today and take advantage of our $99 TUNE-UP SPECIAL!

If the time has come for a cooling system upgrade, we can help you there, too, with expert installation of top quality central air conditioners and mini-split systems. Contact us for a FREE, no obligation estimate on A/C installations in NJ!