As the temp goes up, so does your air conditioning bills. To keep your cooling bills down you might be thinking, is it cheaper to leave your AC on all day in the summer in Lake Forest?

It’s a popular belief that turning your AC unit on and off throughout the day is wasteful. This is actually false.

Keeping your air conditioning going all day means you’re not using it very efficiently. We recommend moving your thermostat to a higher setting when you’re out, and turning it back down when you get back. You can do this with a programmable thermostat. Or, a smart thermostat can do the work for you.

It’s considerably more taxing for your system to achieve the same temperature throughout the day. It can also cause a lot of strain on your air conditioner, since it’s frequently turning on and off.

So, on top of it increasing your energy bills, it can also lead to a shortened life expectancy for your air conditioner.

In any case, the larger the difference between your indoor temperature and the outside temperature, the higher your AC expenses will be. So, what can you do to keep cool and keep your utility bills low in the summer? Here are our ideas based off of recommendations from the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) and ENERGY STAR®.

Six Ways to Boost Your Air Conditioner’s Energy Efficiency

  1. Change Your Thermostat. The DOE affirms that you can conserve up to 10% per year on heating and cooling by turning up your thermostat 7-10 degrees while you’re away at work. Through the summer, it’s advised to keep your thermostat at 78 degrees at the time you’re home and 88 degrees when you’re away. It’s additionally important to abstain from setting your thermostat to a lower setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. This doesn’t actually cool your house any faster, it just leads to bigger energy bills. While these temperatures might appear high, there are many methods to keep cooler without having to always run the air conditioner.
  2. Take Advantage of Fans, Curtains and Blinds. ENERGY STAR says turning up the thermostat by just 2 degrees and turning on your ceiling fan can lessen air conditioning costs by up to 14% over the course of the summer. It’s important to be mindful that that fans cool people, not rooms. So, when you head out of the room, turn the fan off to save energy. Furthermore, keeping blinds low and curtains drawn throughout the day helps keep conditioned air inside. There are also some window solutions designed to deliver extra insulation and increase energy efficiency.
  3. Effectively Seal All Doors, Windows and Openings. Leaky gaps throughout a home permit conditioned air to easily escape and warmer air to get within. This may cause your AC equipment needing to work harder to keep your home comfortable and your AC bills to increase. Make sure that any gaps, doors and windows are adequately sealed. Caulking or weather-stripping are simple fixes for leaks or drafts near windows and doors.
  4. Schedule Annual Maintenance. Scheduling air conditioner maintenance makes sure your AC is always performing at its most efficient. This permits our experts to identify simple issues before they result in major problems. A clean air conditioner is generally more efficient and can even run for a longer period of time.
  5. Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat. One of the greatest methods to guarantee comfort and efficiency is with a smart thermostat. This thermostat instinctively adjusts the temperature based on your regular schedule. It works along with your smartphone to sense when you’re at your house or gone to optimize your efficiency. In fact, ENERGY STAR mentions that a smart thermostat could potentially save you about $180 annually on energy costs.
  6. Consider Replacing Your AC Unit. You can foresee a properly cared for AC to live for 15-20 years. But if you’re frequently calling us for air conditioning repair or your AC bills are rising with no change in thermostat settings, it could be time for a new system. We supply many energy-efficient air conditioners, such as ENERGY STAR models that can help you save more on cooling without negotiating comfort.

Improve Your House’s Energy Efficiency with 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning

No one enjoys seeing their energy bill climb during the summer. If you’re looking for more ways to keep your energy usage and bills low this summer, our pros can help. Get in touch with us at 949-204-0859 or contact us online now for additional info.