According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a good 43% of your utility bill every month is due to your heating system and air conditioner. With the summer months coming up, it’s important to cut back on costs! Visit Plumbers Edmonton’s favorite heating, cooling and plumbing company for more information.
Shade Your Home
When heat accumulates in the home, it tends to come directly from the sun shining down on the roof or through windows. Try planting leafy trees around the building. This will help block the sunlight that hits your home, which in turn will keep the heat away. If you can shade your A.C. unit, you could manage to boost its efficiency by as much as 10%, at least according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Keep Your Windows Protected
Install solar screens. These are mesh-like screens for your windows, and they can stop as much as 70% of the sun’s energy before it manages to seep into your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, screens are most effective on windows facing east and west, due to the rising and setting of the sun.
Alternatively, you can try window films. They’re transparent sheets that have been metalized. This is a process of treating a film with metal. The end result is that the film reflects the heat, much like a mirror.Air Conditioner
The downside of films over screens is that with films, the windows must be shut. Solar screens allow you to keep the windows open, while still keeping the sun out.
Raise The Thermostat
When you’re at home, naturally you want to feel comfortable. However, if you leave the house? Why not raise the thermostat? You’re not home, so you don’t need to cool the house. And setting the thermostat higher can save as much as 15% on the cost of your utility bill every month.
Try Using a Fan
Fans can keep you cool, but their primary purpose is air circulation. Keep your fans on the upper level of the home, and open the windows on the lower level. This helps ensure that you have air constantly moving through the home, thus keeping it from sitting, stagnating, and heating. If you only have one story, close the windows near the fan and open the windows further away.
Avoid Using the Stove
It’s a well known fact that the stove or the oven can heat the entire house. People often bake during the winter for just that purpose. Try using the microwave when possible, or eating food designed to be cold. If you have to cook or bake, do so in the evening or at night. These are times when it’s naturally colder. Also, make sure to turn on the kitchen exhaust fan. Similarly, use the bathroom exhaust fan when you take a shower. This helps cycle the heat out of the home.
Replace Your Air Conditioner Unit
As machines age, they become less efficient. Not only do machines wear down over time, but new innovations in technology create more efficient machines. Finding a high energy efficiency air conditioner could cut your costs by as much as 50%. Look for the highest EER rating you can find.
Reduce Air Conditioner Speed
On dry days, set the fan speed high. Meanwhile, on days that are more humid? Set the speed to low. When the A.C. fan is moving at slower speeds, the unit has more time to remove the humidity from the air. Faster fan speeds give the unit less time to do so. This keeps the air conditioner unit from working quite as hard, which could save money.