The summer months are always anxiously awaited as people prepare to break out their short and sandals- but with those months of heat and humidity also comes the drum of air conditioners of all shapes and sizes.
An air conditioning system can provide comfort by lowering both the air temperature and the humidity level in your home but can also be a huge consumer of energy, which can cost you money and harm the environment.
This does not mean that you have to spend you summer at home uncomfortably hot. There lots of tips that you can use to make your air conditioner and home more efficient, save money, and stay cool!
7 Tips for Saving Money With Your Air Conditioner
- Try to install your air conditioner in a shaded area. An air conditioner that is exposed to direct sunlight will consume 5% more energy than one that is shaded.
- Close blinds, shades and drapes during the hottest part of the day in the summer. You want to do as much as possible to keep your house cool in addition to using you A/C
- Raise your thermostat by 4 – 5 degrees Celsius while you’re sleeping at night and when no one is at home.
- Keep doors and windows closed when the air conditioner is on ? it is a waste of energy and you don?t want any of that precious cool air escaping!
- Use ceiling fans to supplement, or even instead of, air conditioning.
- Use a programmable thermostat for central air conditioners. This will allow you to set the timer so your home will be cool when you arrive, and while you sleep.
Stay comfortable this summer, save yourself some money, and help the environment- who thought it could be so easy?
“•Lower your thermostat by 4 – 5 degrees Celsius while you’re sleeping at night and when no one is at home.”
Should that not read “raise your thermostat”?
Good point, Dennis! Thanks for noticing that – we made the change.
Mark
Using fans to supplement……I heard that fans are only good when you’re actually in the room – i.e., they don’t really cool anything off, just create a nice breeze for us human beings. Is that right? If so, then we should only have them on when we’re in the room/at home. That said, if they were are the top of the stairs, would they help to push the warm air down????