Let’s face it: When it’s hot outside, during those dog days of summer in Ohio, you depend on your home’s air conditioner to keep your home as cool as you need it to be. However, faced with high or rising energy bills, this can become frustrating, and not to mention expensive. What can a homeowner do to stay cool and keep it affordable?
We at Springboro Heating & Cooling suggest a few tips and other ideas to help keep cooling costs low this summer without sacrificing comfort.
Top Tips:
Keep Sunlight From Coming in Directly
When direct sunlight beams into your house it can make the temperature inside uncomfortably warm. One of the most simplistic ways to help cool your home while using less energy is to block daytime sunlight from coming straight in through your windows.
You can either shut your drapes or close your blinds if the sun is at its hottest during the day. For a more extensive and permanent solution, you might even think about planting shade trees outside your larger windows. A lot of trees increase property value and add beauty to your home, while at the same time lowering home cooling expenses.
Use Window Tint
If you relish the bright and cheerful effect of sunlight in your home, or if you don’t like closing your drapes (some people like to be able to see what’s outside), think about applying window tint to your windows to decrease the volume of heat coming in through your windows.
You can usually find whole rolls of window tinting at your local home improvement store or hardware store. This tinting is relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Because windows that face the south and the west usually receive the hottest sunlight through them, strategically installing tint on these windows might result in the greatest reduction in your home cooling costs.
Utilize Fans
Instead of lowering the thermostat to the air conditioner every time you feel you’re getting warm, leave that old thermostat alone and consider utilizing a fan to cool off. Lowering the temperature on your A/C burns up more energy in cooling off all the rooms in your residence, while a fan utilizes merely enough energy to cool that one room you occupy. Fans also make you feel cooler, cause the air is moving, using a lot less energy. Keep in mind also in order to keep saving that money that you should turn that fan off when you aren’t in the room.
Don’t Neglect Maintenance
To keep your air conditioner running at its peak efficiency, make sure you are keeping up on routine and regular maintenance. A few simple maintenance things you can do on your own include cleaning or changing the air filter every month, moving back any furniture or drapes that might be blocking your air ducts and vents, and clearing space around the exterior compressor unit. These measures go a long way. However, to keep your air conditioner in its best condition and saving you money for years to come, don’t neglect to schedule a seasonal HVAC maintenance visit every year. A technician can quickly and easily service parts that you aren’t able to reach and they can help you avoid the most costly of system breakdowns. This is a great idea because no one wants to have to wait for A/C repairs during Ohio’s hottest of summer months.
Invest in a Smart Thermostat
Because homeowners enjoy coming home to a nice cool house after a long day, too many homeowners yield to the temptation to keep their air conditioner running all day, or while they’re gone, so it’s cool when they get back. It goes without saying that keeping an empty home cool all day when you’re away will run up a massive bill. This is why smart thermostats, or at least programmable thermostats, are so popular these days. A simple thermostat upgrade allows you to control your home comfort levels from your cell phone, or adjust the temperature of your home depending on the time of day ahead of time. Keep your house comfortable while you are there and save money while you’re away by checking out some of our latest and most popular thermostat gadgets. They pay for themselves quickly.
Consider Zoned Air Conditioning
Ductless, zoned, or mini-split systems are perfect for homeowners looking to keep certain rooms or areas of their home cooler than others. By cooling only the rooms you are using, instead of the entire house where rooms might not be occupied, you can quickly save money on your monthly energy expenses. Mini-split systems group together specific zones, like bedrooms or living rooms, as well as different levels. This type of system is affordable, practical, and easy to install.
If you are interested or would like to know more, call Springboro Heating & Cooling today at 937-600-6834, or schedule an appointment now by clicking here!
