Summer in Dayton is air-conditioning season, and it’s also the time of year to consider workable ways to conserve AC energy. During the summer months, Dayton’s average daily outdoor temperatures rise to 85 degrees, with relative humidity at or above 60%. Meanwhile, a central air conditioner with a cooling capacity of 2.5 tons — typical for an average home that’s between 1,500 and 2,000 square feet — consumes about 3,500 watts of electricity.
Keeping the house cool is a priority, but so is finding ways to conserve AC energy with the goal of keeping the household electrical bill in the affordable range. While no single option may be the perfect answer, a combination of simple steps can conserve AC energy during the hot months without sacrificing indoor comfort. Here are some suggestions to preserve indoor comfort while also maintaining your monthly budget.
- Schedule professional preventative maintenance. Provided by a qualified HVAC contractor, a professional inspection, along with manufacturer-recommended maintenance procedures, help ensure that your air conditioner is operating at optimum energy efficiency while delivering maximum coolness. It also allows a trained technician to look for and correct any minor issues that could cause major malfunctions later in the season.
- Change the filter regularly. An air conditioner typically runs more hours in summer than a furnace does in winter. This increased circulation of air through the HVAC system means the air filter may become dirty and clogged sooner during the summer. Choose quality pleated air filters with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of around 8 to balance effective filtration with AC energy efficiency.
- Utilize ceiling fans. A ceiling fan can make a room feel 5 degrees cooler without having to lower the AC thermostat and extend the system cooling cycles, which raises costs. Ceiling fans are very energy-efficient and use far less electricity than a central air conditioner.
- Keep thermostat settings efficient. The Department of Energy states that 78 degrees is the preferable thermostat setting to balance indoor comfort with affordable operating costs. If the house is unoccupied during daytime hours, a higher thermostat setting around 85 degrees is suggested.
For more suggestions to effectively conserve AC energy, contact the cooling specialists at Ace Hardware Home Services.
