Fortunately for the residents of Alabama, the weather we have to worry about the most in these parts is heat. We don’t usually get buried in snow the way some people in the northern or central states do, but even a hot summer can bring its own problems.
Electronics are delicate, and you if you rely on computers to do your work, a hot, humid summer can endanger your hardware. Thankfully, we have air conditioning to take care of that, but it also means paying an energy bill every month to keep things cool. If you’d like to reduce how much you pay, we have some easy hacks to implement, and all you have to do is answer these three questions.
Do You Have Leaky Ducts?
A common HVAC configuration is the use of air ducts built to carry cold—or warm!—air throughout the home to be pumped out into vents in all rooms.
However, air ducts are simply pipes, and, like any pipe, it’s possible for structural defects to occur.
This means leaks can be interfering with the efficiency of your air delivery, and that costs you to pay more on your bills than you need to.
Have an HVAC professional inspect the condition of your ducts, and, if leaks are found, quickly seal them to restore your efficiency.
Do You Have Drapes Or Curtains?
Windows don’t just admit light; they admit heat as well. So when the brightest part of the day arrives, depending on the placement and direction of your home and windows, sunlight flooding certain rooms can raise the temperature significantly.
This results in your AC having to work even harder not just against the already warm summer air, but the effects of sunlight heating the room up as well.
If you have curtains, drapes, or even blinds and put them into use for those rooms that get the full brunt of sunlight, you can keep your AC from working harder than it needs to during the day. If you’re not at home during the day, keep these window dressings drawn for an even cooler indoor environment.
How Old Is Your Thermostat?
If your thermostat doesn’t even have a digital interface, it’s time to upgrade. Older thermostats are simple but inefficient. They only allow you to set a temperature, and then they can be switched on or off, and that’s all there is to it.
Newer thermostats give you many more options. Inexpensive new thermostats still come with programmable features that let you set the temperature for different parts of the day.
So if no one is home during the day, you can keep the AC minimal, but power it up 20 minutes before people come home. High end new thermostats are “smart,” monitoring home activity, learning habitation patterns, and even providing consumption data so you can see how your energy is being used. You can even operate your thermostat from your phone for the ultimate convenience with some of these latest models.
While we enjoy warmer, milder weather here in Montgomery, AL, that doesn’t mean our energy bills are much cheaper. Wasteful practices at home can drive your cooling bills up by making your AC work more than it needs to. With smart usage, and following our suggested hacks, you can keep those bills under control.
