Cool Savings: Energy Saving Tips for AC This Summer

Stay Comfortable During the Warmer Season

It’s a familiar feeling. The temperature outside climbs, and so does your anxiety about the upcoming electricity bill. Many homeowners search for energy saving tips for AC because they fear their energy consumption must soar during the summer months.

But this doesn’t have to be the case. Air conditioning accounts for a substantial chunk of household energy use, possibly around 12 percent of monthly power bills.

Finding energy saving tips for AC that fit your lifestyle could mean having some funds back in your monthly budget, maybe to help pay off that student loan. This could be real money.

Smart Strategies for Slashing AC Costs

Cooling and heating use nearly half of all home energy in the United States according to the Department of Energy. There are methods to stay comfortable and improve energy efficiency with your AC units.

We analyzed what matters to real people.

Optimize Your Thermostat Usage

Programmable thermostats are a useful technology for keeping cool. Setting them back 7-10 degrees for about eight hours each day could provide significant energy savings.

The DOE estimates that you could save as much as 10% a year on your electricity bills by adjusting when your air conditioner runs. Many smart thermostat models allow remote access, offering real-time control.

You can start saving immediately.

The Power of Proper Airflow

Ceiling fans can play a useful role. They help circulate cool air and create a wind chill, so you feel cooler.

This often gives an opportunity to be comfortable with the AC unit turned down a bit, which helps reduce energy consumption. One effective trick involves using fans for cross-ventilation.

Using fans to circulate cool air gives you more for less, because your unit might not run for as long to maintain the desired temperature. Ensure furniture and other objects do not block vents, so room air can flow.

Window Treatments: Blocking the Sun’s Heat

Direct sunlight is a major source of indoor heat gain, causing your house to become warmer. It may surprise you, but the Department of Energy states that up to 76% of the sunlight hitting standard double-pane windows ends up as heat inside your home.

Using effective window coverings, such as window treatments, will prevent warm air from entering. Consider blinds, curtains, shades, or even window films.

These can control or even block out the sunlight, reducing air conditioning costs. As the sun sets, think about strategic use.

Address Leaks and Drafts for Max Efficiency

Air leaks and cracks allow warm air to find its way inside, driving up cooling costs. Common sources for air leaks include worn or cracked caulk or stripping around doors or windows, or cracks near wall sockets.

You can save energy by patching any holes using fillers or other insulation materials to seal air leaks. An energy saving plan could simply be finding places with leaking air.

Sealing cracks helps you to conserve energy.

Regular AC Maintenance is Crucial

Preventive care keeps an AC unit running correctly and helps reduce energy. Maintenance plans often address things like cleaning coils.

Dirty coils mean your HVAC systems need to work harder, resulting in higher energy bills. A recent survey stated that about 70% of respondents do not conduct proactive air conditioning unit inspections.

Making sure all the parts work properly can save money over the long term. Contact your local HVAC company for more details.

Harness Nature for Lower Temperatures

Strategically planting trees, bushes and other landscaping offers opportunities for your air conditioner to work less. Direct sunlight is avoided on some of the hotter surfaces and that gives your AC some relief.

You might also use awnings and other structures over walls, near your condenser, or even near AC vents that blow. Some energy saving practices do not directly connect with the utility companies.

This could really reduce annual energy costs.

Leverage Natural Ventilation Techniques

There are smart ways to use airflow to your benefit. When things cool off in the evenings, turning off the AC and opening windows might let refreshing breezes enter.

This action will create cooler temperatures naturally. Consider “pre-cooling” your house, drawing in as much cool air as you can before daytime heating resumes.

This is one way to improve energy efficiency and keep your home cooler.

Appliance Usage and Heat Generation

Be mindful of appliance usage.

Things like your television, computers or even lamps produce heat while operating. Try not to locate heat sources in the same area as a vent or air conditioning unit that is pushing cool air, or where your thermostat is located.

Keeping those zones separated may support home energy conservation goals. Also, the location of your water heater could make a difference, too.

Water Heater Temperature Adjustments

You might also adjust the setting on your hot water tank. It might be set quite a bit higher than is useful or comfortable.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends setting your water heater at no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Doing so will address scalding, but it has another effect.

It cuts down on unnecessary expenses in that “standby” state of always keeping water hot for on-demand requests, thus helping reduce heating costs.

Inspecting and Sealing Ductwork

If you have central air, your ductwork can be a hidden culprit in energy waste. Leaky ducts lose up to 30% of treated air through spaces between units, and this applies to cool air, as well as heating systems.

You might consider insulating, sealing with new connections or plastic banding materials, and generally looking for any air leaks. This action ensures your AC systems run more efficiently.

Duct tape does *not* create a useful seal and should be avoided for patching ducts. Consider calling a professional air conditioning company to check it all.

Consider a Modern, High-Efficiency System

Sometimes, getting a more up-to-date system makes sense. Newer, innovative air conditioners are designed from the ground up for minimal electricity consumption.

If you make that jump to new systems, expect a huge change in power bills. Consider whether a heat pump or traditional air conditioning is best for your home.

The shift to an Energy Star-certified system alone, you may see upwards of 30% less spending each year on energy bills. An evaporative cooler may also be an option to research.

Ways to improve the Airflow

Proper airflow helps make the house much cooler. Using a ventilation fan to help exhaust hot air is one way to save energy and keep cooler temperatures.

This also may give a positive effect on home air quality as well. Make sure the fans and airflow path are all free of debris, including replacing air filters when needed.

Here are some effective airflow strategies that involve fans:

Energy Saving Tips for AC

There is always a learning curve to finding the best way to approach energy saving practices in your home. What works in one structure with some of these tips for AC usage may need refinement for another, differently built and situated structure to realize better conditions.

This may depend on regional or even the property microclimate conditions, or if the structure is very old. A home energy assessment will explore the best approach.

Your utility company probably wants to assist you with any goals and even incentive plans around power-saving methods. The companies gain when demand goes down, too, with lower wear-and-tear costs to generate and supply those power resources.

Conclusion

Air conditioning is viewed as something homeowners need during warm weather, although how this happens and in what quantity is variable. It’s never one approach when making shifts to save money with energy-saving tips for AC.

Consistently making many small choices with airflow, landscaping, and maintenance builds cumulative effect and impact, sometimes rather large changes. Some are obvious shifts, although small practices might need practice before turning to habit.

Making even simple behavior adjustments might turn into big gains over time for staying cool, and reducing conditioning costs.