As the heat rises, so does your air conditioning bills. To keep your AC expenses down you could be asking yourself, is it cheaper to leave your AC on all day in the summer in Houston?

It’s a common belief that turning your AC unit on and off throughout the day is a waste of energy. This is actually not true.

Keeping your air conditioner going all day means you’re not using it very efficiently. We recommend setting your thermostat higher when you’re away, and turning it back down when you come home. You can achieve this with a programmable thermostat. Or, a smart thermostat can do everything for you.

It’s much more work for your system to achieve the same temp for many hours. It can also cause a lot of wear and tear to your air conditioner, since it’s constantly turning on and off.

So, on top of it increasing your electricity bills, it may also result in a shorter life span for your AC unit.

No matter what, the greater the difference between your house’s temperature and the outside temperature, the higher your energy expenses will be. So, what can you do to keep cool and keep your electric bills low in the summer season? Here are our suggestions based off of recommendations from the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) and ENERGY STAR®.

Six Approaches to Boost Your Air Conditioner’s Energy Efficiency

  1. Modify Your Thermostat. The DOE states that you can conserve up to 10% yearly on heating and cooling by turning up your thermostat 7-10 degrees during the time you’re away at work. During the summer, it’s recommended to position your thermostat at 78 degrees when you’re home and 88 degrees when you’re elsewhere. It’s also important to abstain from setting your thermostat to a colder setting than usual when you turn on your air conditioner. This doesn’t actually cool your home any sooner, it just leads to bigger energy bills. While these temperatures may appear toasty, there are additional methods to keep cooler without having to constantly run the AC unit.
  2. Utilize Fans, Curtains and Blinds. ENERGY STAR says increasing the thermostat by a mere 2 degrees and turning on your ceiling fan can lower air conditioning costs by up to 14% over the course of the warm months. It’s important to note that fans cool people, not rooms. So, when you exit the room, turn the fan off to be energy efficient. Also, keeping blinds lowered and curtains closed throughout the day helps keep cool air inside. There are also some window solutions designed to deliver added insulation and increase energy efficiency.
  3. Adequately Seal All Doors, Windows and Openings. Leaky gaps throughout a residence enable conditioned air to quickly get out and warm air to get inside. This could lead to your AC equipment being required to work harder to keep your home cooler and your energy bills to rise. Make certain that any cracks, doors and windows are properly sealed. Caulking or weather-stripping are easy fixes for leaks or drafts around windows and doors.
  4. Arrange Annual Maintenance. Scheduling air conditioner maintenance assures that your system is always running at its most efficient. This allows our pros to locate small issues before they result in major troubles. A clean air conditioner is usually more efficient and could even last for a longer period of time.
  5. Install a Smart Thermostat. One of the best methods to guarantee comfort and efficiency is with a smart thermostat. This thermostat instinctively adjusts the temperature based on your day-to-day schedule. It works with your smartphone to notice when you’re at home or gone to enhance your energy savings. In fact, ENERGY STAR mentions that a smart thermostat could possibly save you about $180 per year on HVAC costs.
  6. Consider Replacing Your Air Conditioner. You can figure a properly maintained AC unit to live for 15-20 years. But if you’re regularly calling us for air conditioning repair or your energy bills are climbing with no change in thermostat settings, it might be time for a new system. We carry many energy-efficient air conditioners, such as ENERGY STAR models that can help you save more on cooling without negotiating comfort.

Increase Your House’s Energy Efficiency with Air Current AC & Heat

No one likes to see their electricity bill climb during the summer. If you’re looking for more ways to keep your energy usage and costs down this summer, our team can help. Get in touch with us at 713-322-4318 or contact us online now for additional information.