Some people would rather live without their phones than live without air conditioning in the hottest months of the year. And we get it – we’re spoiled in the modern world with room temperatures averaging around 72 degrees.
But not everyone can afford to keep their AC at 72° or (even better) 68°. And not everyone wants to use all that energy from the earth.
So, without buying a new fancy unit, what can you do to make things a little better? Check out these air conditioner efficiency tips below.
1. Dehumidify
When it’s humid inside (or outside, for that matter) it feels hotter. It’s that muggy feeling you get in the summer when it rains on a hot day.
So if your ac unit has a dehumidify setting, turn it on. Without changing the air temperature, you can change how the air feels. If there isn’t that option -then you’re not out of luck.
Just as you can buy a humidifier for cool winter months, you can by a single unit dehumidifier. Place it in the room you spend the most time in around the house during the summer. Or get a few.
When there are a couple working together, the AC unit will pick up this dehumidified, recycled air.
2. Play with Your Windows
No matter where you live, it’s cooler in the morning and in the evening than at noon. When you wake up (if it’s before nine) you should turn off the AC and open all the windows.
Leave the fan setting on so the cool air circulates in the house. This little boost of cool air gives the air conditioner something to start on when you do turn it on for the day.
The same is true at night. You can open them after the sun goes down until you go to bed. Or leave them open overnight if that feels safe.
Mother nature isn’t the enemy here, she’ll provide you with what you need if you know what to do.
During the middle of the day and in the afternoon, close your curtains so that the hot sun is reflected out of your home, not into it. This will keep your AC from having to kick on more often to work off those extra degrees.
3. Skip the Oven
When you turn on the oven in the summer, you’re not crazy. It really does make the kitchen hotter by a few degrees. Even though your oven is sealed, you’re turning it up to heats of three or four hundred degrees.
You can expect all of that air to stay inside the oven. Some of it comes out of invisible openings or just radiates through the oven door.
Try not to run the oven or other things that use heat (your dishwasher) in the middle of the day. Wait until late at night or do it in the early morning.
4. Get Regular HVAC Maintenance
Finally, your AC isn’t going to be efficient if it’s broken or missing parts. Maybe you accidentally tweaked a setting last time you looked at your unit.
Make sure you’re calling and using professional HVAC technicians at least once a year. They’ll tune it up and have everything ready to go.
Upping Your Air Conditioner Efficiency
Whether you’re looking to improve your air conditioner efficiency to save money or to help the earth – these tips should give you the boost you need.
Let the cool air in when it’s cool and avoid making things hotter when it’s already hot.
Finally – call an HVAC specialist who can make sure everything in tip-top shape before the hot months. Make the call here.