5 Tips for Using Your Air Conditioning System Efficiently
Running your air conditioning system every day can lead to high energy bills, but sometimes the weather is so hot there's no alternative. Rather than trying to cope without air conditioning, use these tips to make your system run more efficiently.
1. Automatically Turn Off Your AC When No-One Is Home
A timer is your best friend when you're trying to increase the efficiency of your air conditioning. Forgetting to turn off your air conditioning when you head out to work in the morning can lead to huge energy wastage, as your unit works hard all day to keep the home cool even though there is no-one around to enjoy the comfortable temperature. Use a timer to automatically turn off the air conditioning when you head out to work and turn it back on again shortly before you arrive home.
2. Reduce Cooling Overnight
Body temperature naturally drops overnight, so you might not need to run your air conditioning as hard to avoid overheating. Try turning your AC down before you go to bed. If you're too hot to sleep, simply running a fan in the bedroom to create a breeze may be more energy-efficient than cooling your entire home.
3. Allow Air to Flow Freely
Is your furniture blocking air flow from your AC unit? If your unit is hidden behind a chair or table, you could be cooling your furniture rather than keeping the people in your home happy. Try rearranging your furniture so it allows air to flow freely from your air conditioning unit and cool your home.
4. Keep Heat Out
It's more efficient to keep excess heat out of your home than try to get rid of it once it's already inside. Sun shining on your windows can cause the air inside your home to heat up. Therefore, an easy way to keep your home cool is simply to close your curtains or blinds to block out the sun.
5. Maintain Your Air Conditioning
Well-maintained air conditioning systems work much more efficiently than systems that have been neglected. Clean the filters regularly to remove dust and dirt, so air can flow more freely through your air conditioner. If you notice your air conditioner isn't working as well as it used to, hire a professional HVAC contractor to service the unit. Air conditioning experts can find out what is stopping your unit from working efficiently and restore it to peak performance.
