Some Summertime Air Conditioner Tips For Your Wallet

Anyone who thought summer hadn’t arrived changed their mind last weekend. This weekend looks to be the same: sweltering! Naturally, this is when we start turning on our air conditioners and making unkind comments about the companies sending us the bill. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help ease the summertime blues.

1)    Get an A/C checkup. This is as practical as practical gets. A dirty filter will make your unit work harder than it needs to, and a checkup will take care of that. There may also be a part that’s going bad or something else that’s cause for concern. The last thing you want is your air conditioner breaking down on holiday or Sunday when having someone come out to repair it costs more than if you’d had it taken care of it with yearly maintenance. Is your unit too old and outdated? Is it the wrong size? You may also want us to check for any leaks in your ducts. Leaks make your unit have to work longer and harder, which can hit the wallet pretty hard over time.

2)    Find your comfort level. We all know somebody who turns the heat up in the winter and still uses an electric blanket. That same person tends to turn the temperature down in the summer and then cover themselves with a heap of bedding to keep warm. Temperatures are typically cooler at night, and even during the day, it’s not necessary for us to feel cold during the summer. Find your comfort level. You’d be surprised at what your body can adapt to, which will help you save money since you may find you don’t need things as chilly as you first believed. A cool shower here and there doesn’t hurt, either.

3)    Ceiling fans are a terrific idea for circulating the air in your home. The trick—and believe it or not, customers have made this mistake—is to make sure you have it blowing down and not up. Almost all fans can switch directions, so be sure to read your instructions and have it blowing the way it should.

4)    Appliances. We all have the big ones like a stove, dishwasher, and drier, but something to consider is having them vent their hot air outside instead of in your home. Also, use a microwave when possible since it produces less heat, and instead of using a drier, try a clothesline.

5)    Finally, how about getting an A/C timer? If you’re at work, do you need your home cooled the same as when you are there? Why waste energy? An AC timer can be set to start cooling down half an hour before you arrive. And while you’re at it, is there a room inside your home that doesn’t get used or at least very often? If so, then close the register. There’s no reason to cool a room for no reason.

Do you have any tips you’d like to share? If so, please leave them in the comments below. And if you’d like to schedule an appointment with FLAME for an A/C checkup, please contact us or call us at (888) 234-2340.