Air conditioning systems are a must for any home, no matter what month or season it is. They are especially a godsend in the hottest days of summer and the coldest nights of winter. Air conditioning systems make your home a lot more comfortable. They ensure that you and your family are not exposed to temperatures that can potentially cause problems. Imagine your house being exposed to an oven-hot summer for days at a time. That’s enough to make anyone sick.
These systems, however, can be a tad costly if you don’t know what you are supposed to be doing. Keeping costs down is always welcome, and there are things and tricks that you can follow in order for you to be able to save up on costs.
If you need tips on how to cut your air conditioning costs at home, then look no further. Here are 7 tips and tricks you can do in order for you to cut down on expenses.
The first thing to consider when you are getting an air conditioning unit should be the type that you need. If the room has an external wall, then a window-type unit should suffice. Any room with no external walls will need a split-type unit.
You also have to make sure that the capacity of your air conditioning unit matches the size of the room. Stronger units naturally consume more power, and can be costlier in the long run. If your rooms are not that large, consider replacing your units with less powerful ones. You’ll be making sure that the air conditioning unit won’t be on full blast all the time, and it will help you save on costs.
It goes without saying that you need to turn the thermostat down on colder days, and turn it up on the warmer ones. However, if you can set specific times for when your thermostat needs to be turned up or down, then you can also save money.
For example, consider a more neutral setting for daytime as in many cases, no one is even home during the day. It would be a waste to have the air conditioning system to be on full blast. Also, consider turning the thermostat to a more neutral setting in the middle of the night, when everyone is asleep. If you can’t be bothered to do all these, you may want to consider getting a smart or programmable thermostat.
Admittedly, it will be a waste of time and effort to wake up in the middle of the night to turn the thermostat up or down to save energy. It would also be a waste to head home in the middle of the day just to do that.
Getting a programmable thermostat will allow you to program settings into your air conditioning system based on what temperatures you want, and what time you want the system to start adjusting to these temperatures. Using a programmable thermostat will help your home cut down on costs in the long run.
Space heaters are a cheap alternative to having all your rooms installed and linked to an air conditioning system. These are a useful solution for the coldest winter days. Alternatively, you can also use space heaters to supplement your air conditioning systems. Just set the thermostat to neutral and use a space heater to help in maintaining a good room temperature.
Space heaters are also quite flexible in terms of where they can be placed. Do you want your living room to be warmer? No problem. Just move the space heater off into that room. That’s something you can’t do with an entire heater system.
Some room layouts are not very conducive to saving energy costs. Take a quick look around your rooms and see if there are some things you can adjust in order to make the flow of air better inside. Check for tall pieces of furniture that get in the way of the flow of air from your air conditioning units. Also check for corners, blockages, and the like. Make adjustments to your thermostat accordingly afterwards.
If you really want to cut back on costs, then a few lifestyle changes are in order. We’re not talking about anything too big. Simple changes like clothing preferences when at home may be in order. Something as simple as wearing thicker clothes during bedtime, buying thicker blankets for you and your kids, or opting for thinner clothes during summer can help you not to be too harsh on your thermostat and your wallet.
Any of your air conditioning units breaking will cost you money. Any of them malfunctioning may also lead to higher energy costs. Make sure that your air conditioning system is regularly maintained to prevent these occurrences from happening. While it is true that maintenance still costs money, it will be well worth it.
Cut down on costs and maybe even make your units last longer. If you’re looking for a company in the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle area to help you out, Lakeside Air is here for you. Give us a call at 4947 4122, or you can get a free quote for our services here.
References:
10 Tips for the Thermostat. https://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-thermostat-tips-save-money.html
Programmable Thermostats. https://www.houselogic.com/save-money-add-value/save-on-utilities/programmable-thermostats/
Thermostats. http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/thermostats