Air Conditioning Tips to Beat the Heat

Air Conditioning Tips to Beat the Heat



It is next to impossible to leave your air conditioner off during India’s sticky summer season. Hot temperatures and high dew points keep us running indoors for cold comfort. But running your AC unit throughout the summer can cost you hard on your electricity bill.

To help you beat the heat and the electricity bills we have outlined some money-saving tips to maximize the effectiveness of your small AC for home.

Check for Escaping Air

Escaped air is most likely the culprit for your higher electricity bills. Older homes have a tendency to let air seep out through window seals, or poor insulation, or hard-to-see cracks in the walls. One of the great ways to diagnose this is to have a home energy audit done by your local energy provider.
If you are unable to go for a full audit then perform one on your own. While your AC is on, stand outside your home and place your hand near the windows and doors. If you can feel any cold air, then apply new seals to exterior doors to keep cool air inside.

Evaluate Thermostat Placement


One of the most important things is thermostat placement. For example, if you have placed your thermostat in a place that receives sunlight, then the thermostat think the room is hotter than it is. This will trigger your AC unit to run more often. To avoid over running make sure your thermostat is placed on a wall that is not impacted by the outdoors or any other possible heat sources.

Install Window Treatments


Sunlight streaming in through your windows increases your room temperature. So to keep your homes shaded and cool, install blinds, shades or blackout curtains especially in your east and west facing rooms. When you are away for the day, draw the blinds and curtains, this lower the amount of sunlight that enters your home and ease your AC output.

Turn On Your Fans


As per the National Resource Defense Council, ceiling fans decrease the room temperatures by an average of 10° and use 90% less energy than your air conditioners. Fans do this by improving air circulation and in summer, both ceiling and floor fans push the cool air from air conditioners down and around the room. This creates a wind effect which makes the room feel cooler; so effective fans and air circulation allows you to turn off your AC more frequently or set the thermostat to a higher temperature.

So place fans strategically around your home, especially in areas that are used most. If you have ceiling fans then make sure they are running forward to ensure they are sending the cool air down into the room.

Upgrade to a Wi-Fi Thermostat


If you are away from home, there is no one there to regulate the temperature in case of a change in weather. Reduce your energy bills dramatically by upgrading to a Wi-Fi thermostat; with this new thermostat, program the temperature to rise when you are not around and lower when you usually come home.

If you are out of town then check your smart phone to evaluate the current temperature of your home and make adjustments as per requirements. Forgot to turn off the AC when you left town for vacation? It is not a problem with a Wi-Fi thermostat you can log on anytime and anywhere to manage your thermostat.

Schedule Regular Maintenance


For good air quality and efficiency, it is important to have your small AC for home inspected annually and check your air filters on a monthly basis. This will ensure that both your cooling systems are running at maximum efficiency and also extend the lifetime of your unit.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Split Vs Window Air Conditioner

Air Conditioning Troubleshooting Tips Every Owner Should Know

Expert Tips for Picking the Best Air Con for Your Home