Choosing the right air conditioner for your home is one thing. After that, it’s all about efficiency. Maintaining efficiency is the key to paying as little as possible on your cooling bill.
Do a quick internet search and you’ll find countless articles telling you how to get by with using your air conditioner as little as possible. But hold on… What’s the point of having an air conditioner if you’re going to be told how not to use it?
Being efficient doesn’t mean you have to forego the use of your air conditioner. However, we don’t believe in “quick fixes,” so you won’t find them in this list.
1. Work on Your Cooling Habits
Depending on your current cooling habits, this could take some work to get used to, but we assure you it’s worth it.
Many homeowners simply run their air conditioners at whatever temperature feels good. That also means they’ll adjust the temperature up and down depending on how they’re feeling. This allows for a lot of variance, and it can make it difficult to track efficiency on a monthly basis.
Instead, we suggest keeping your thermostat as close to 78°F as you can manage. The idea is that, by keeping the indoor temperature as close to the outdoor temperature as possible, you’ll be able to reduce the amount of energy used by your AC. We don’t suggest using a temperature that makes you feel uncomfortable, but give it a try for a few days—you might be surprised to find yourself adjusting just fine.
2. Make Sure You Have a Smart or Programmable Thermostat
If your thermostat uses a slide or a dial and lacks any kind of programming abilities, you’re due for an upgrade.
Precise control of your thermostat is crucial to maintaining efficiency. A programmable thermostat removes all the trouble of managing your home’s temperature by doing it for you. Plus, it can help stop you from making unnecessary adjustments.
If you really want to maximize your efficiency and consistently improve it, you can use a smart thermostat. The features in these devices can keep you comfortable while staying on track with your saving goals. If you do go this route, make sure to get the help of an air conditioning expert in New Braunfels.
3. Don’t Skip Maintenance
Most of all, we have to emphasize the importance of getting annual air conditioning maintenance.
There are many times where a homeowner is unsatisfied with their cooling bill, yet, they’ve neglected several opportunities to get maintenance. In fact, if you haven’t had maintenance yet, we’d urge you to do that first before thinking about upgrading thermostats or using any other kinds of energy-saving tricks.
An air conditioner’s efficiency will drop about 5% every year—that’s just part of the fact that machines will degrade over time. Maintenance helps lower that percentage so that you can keep your AC running at its full potential every season. Plus, it will do wonders in preventing repair issues from cropping up at the worst possible times of the year.
For more advice on how to keep your AC in top condition, contact Thayer Air Conditioning and speak to one of our experts. Your Comfort is Our #1 Priority!
