The utility bills of today can cost you and your family a considerable amount of money.
The good news is there are things you can do to help reduce air conditioning and heating costs.
ETR, a trusted local AC repair company in Tyler, Texas, has many years of experience in HVAC and knows how important even small details can be to save you money on your utility bills.
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Install a Programmable or Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat is a very useful and cost-effective investment to help control your home’s HVAC system more efficiently. It will help keep the temperature of your home regulated so your air conditioner and heating system won’t have to work as hard.
If you have a smart thermostat, you can even program it to start heating or cooling the house before you wake up or return to work.
If you don’t have a smart thermostat, you can still adjust your thermostat manually to work in a more efficient and cost-effective way. During hot months, at night or when you’re not home, turn down or off your air conditioner, turn on fans, and close your curtains to keep hot sunlight from heating up the rooms of your home.
In cooler months, turn the heat down at night, as well as when you’re not home. If the temps aren’t too low, you can also turn off the heat when you’re not at home to reduce costs.
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Don’t Block Your Registers
Blocking the registers or vents means your HVAC unit must work much harder, thereby using more energy. Plants, furniture, artwork, etc., covering the airways make your AC and heater work less effectively. By removing those obstacles and leaving the route free and clear, your heater or AC unit can work as it should, and you save money on utility bills.
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Use Your Ceiling Fans
If used properly, ceiling fans can make a huge difference in your home’s interior temperature. Running your fan counterclockwise causes the cooler air to move downward, thereby cooling the room and helping to reduce the amount your air conditioner has to work.
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Change/Clean Your Air Conditioning/Heater Filter
When did you last have a professional inspect, clean, or change your HVAC filters? When a filter isn’t working properly, it can make a big difference in how well your unit runs.
A clogged, dirty, or otherwise compromised filter causes your HVAC unit to work improperly. If allowed to run that way for a considerable amount of time, it can even ruin your system. If your AC or heater isn’t working correctly—and thereby working harder to catch up—it will use more energy and cause your utility bills to go up. Especially in those hot East Texas summer months when you’re running your air conditioner more often.
A good rule is to schedule regular professional maintenance inspections and change or clean your filter every three months.
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How Airtight is Your Home?
Making sure hot or cold air isn’t sneaking in around unsealed doors or windows will help ensure cold air isn’t lowering your home temperature and causing your heater to run more or warm air isn’t coming inside to make your AC work overtime. Either instance will increase your heating and cooling costs because your HVAC system will need to work harder to compensate.
Do you have single-pane windows? While momentarily cost-efficient, this window type doesn’t do very well in hot and cold weather. Consider installing double-pane windows to help keep air leaks to a minimum.
You might also want to check the caulking around your windows and the weather stripping around your doors for drafts.
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Change Your Laundry and Baking Schedule in the Hot Months
In the summer, East Texas can have some really hot temperatures. Which means it might not be the best time to bake a pot roast. During the hot months, try to limit the use of certain appliances that raise the temperature in your home, such as your oven and dryer. Using these appliances at night when it’s cooler won’t add heat to an already warm house, making your air conditioning run longer and causing it to use more electricity.
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Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance
Having your HVAC unit regularly inspected and maintained by a professional local HVAC service goes a long way to making sure your heating and cooling systems are working properly when you need them, and not costing more than they should. Regular maintenance means the professionals can catch and diagnose issues before they become big problems and help keep your unit in top condition.
When was the last time you had your heating and cooling system serviced and inspected? Call your local HVAC technicians like East Texas Refrigeration today and sleep more comfortably in a temperature-controlled environment that isn’t costing you more than it should.
East Texas Refrigeration has also recently acquired a new branch of business, East Texas Generator, for all your power and electrical needs this winter!