Ways to Save Money and Use Your Air Conditioner

So you want to cut back on your expenses this summer.  Who doesn’t?  How are you going to accomplish this: no vacations, riding your bike to work, less dinners out?  These are all good ways to save some money however, by just doing this we are stepping around the big, money eating elephant in the room:  the air conditioner.

Air conditioning is great and has become a standard feature in most cars and homes.  However, running your unit full blast can cause your bill to be a little more expensive than you wanted it to be.  If you completely shut it off, you would have some more cash in your pocket, yet that is often not the optimal approach for summer.  Therefore, here are some ways to save money AND still cool down your home with a beloved air conditioner.

• Increase the insulation in your home. This is great because it will help your home in both the summer and the winter by keep hot and cold air inside or outside where you want it during each season.  This is especially good in the attic.
• Buy a More Energy Efficient Air Conditioner. At first glance this tip could seem like the exact opposite of saving money…an energy efficient air conditioner will save you money in the end.  When shopping,  check the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) number, the higher the number, the more efficient it is!  All new A/C’s have a SEER of 13 and up.
• Turn it off at certain times. This does not mean you have to suffer all summer long without your air conditioner, just turn it off when you know that nobody will be using it.  For example, if you go away for a weekend, or even if everyone is out of the house for a couple of hours.
• Keep the temperature high. Just because you have central air conditioning does not mean that you need to make your home fit for penguins.  Turn the thermostat up a few degrees-the home will still feel cool and your bill will be less.

As you can see, you don’t have to turn off your a/c permanently to save some money this summer.  Plus, if you are doing all that biking to and from work, you’re gonna want a cool house to come home to!  Contact FLAME Heating, Cooling and Electrical for more info!