With the arrival of summer heat, Dayton area homeowners will see their electricity costs rise. Not only does running your air conditioner continuously increase your utility costs, other home systems also may contribute to higher energy bills. You don’t have to resign yourself to high utility bills this summer, however. There are a lot of opportunities for energy savings in your home. They include:
- Schedule an A/C maintenance appointment. This action requires a monetary investment up front; however, it’s arguably the best way to preserve your cooling system, improve comfort, ensure efficiency and lower energy bills, all while warding off unnecessary and costly repairs down the line. If you haven’t had an A/C tune-up yet this spring, there’s no time like the present.
- Change the air filter. Over the summer, remind yourself to check the A/C filter once a month. Have several new air filters for the air conditioner on hand so that you can replace the filter when it’s dirty. A clean filter protects the HVAC system from dirt, while allowing air through the system, lowering operating costs. It also helps protect air quality.
- Use sensible settings. You can secure energy savings during the cooling season simply by setting a higher temperature on your thermostat. Try raising the setting by small increments, until everyone in the family can agree upon a higher but comfortable setting. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reports that for every degree you can set the thermostat forward, you can expect a 1 percent energy savings.
- Inspect attic insulation. Upgrading attic insulation prevents extreme heat buildup in the attic. That can increase the temperature in your living spaces, and otherwise will force the A/C to run longer cycles and consume more energy.
- Use ceiling fans to boost cooling. Running them won’t contribute to a cooler temperature; however, they’ll make you feel cooler when you’re in the direct line of the draft they create when running.
- Change lighting. Using more-efficient light bulbs will lower energy costs, and they’ll generated less heat overall, lowering the home’s cooling load.
For more tips on energy savings, or for any other home-comfort need, please contact our area’s leading HVAC experts at Ace Hardware Home Services. We’ve served homeowners in the Dayton area since 1978.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy savings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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