Home Inspection Insights

Lawrence M. Watkins, Specsure Property Inspections

Home Inspector: Best Way to run A/C and keep cool

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thermostat

Be sure to program your thermostat for maximum benefit.

Buffalo Home Inspection Insight:  Best ways to run A/C and keep cool

 

Summer has officially arrived and with it, warm muggy days and nights.  Well, there are ways to stay cool and keep the electric bills lower at the same time.

As a leading home inspection company in Western New York, our team of home inspectors has come up with a few tips to follow to keep your house cooler and keep a handle on energy use this summer.

  • Set the thermostat higher. The higher you set your thermostat, the lower the energy usage and electric bills.  Experiment with higher temp settings a little at a time, I’m willing to bet if you ease yourself into it, you won’t need the A/C set at 68.
  • Program your thermostat. You won’t need the A/C set at 70 in the middle of the night or early morning.  For that matter, you don’t need it to run at full speed while you’re at work, set the temps accordingly.
  • Shield the thermostat. Do not allow the thermostat to become exposed to heat sources, may it be sunlight or direct exposure to lighting.  It will cause the A/C system to continually run.
  • Add a fan. Ceiling and floor fans will help circulate the colder air that sits close to the floor.  Ceiling fans should run in a counter-clockwise direction (as you look up at it) during the summer months.
  • Shade the sunny side. Keep windows and shades closed on the side of the house where the sun shines. Opening the windows will only allow the heat in – keep them closed and you keep the heat out.  More importantly, if you are using A/C – keep ALL the windows closed.
  • Shade the A/C unit outside.  Try and protect the A/C compressor (the big thing outside) without obstructing the air flow around it.  Keeping it cooler will allow the system to run more efficiently.

Following these few tips will help keep you cooler this summer and go a long way to keep from breaking the bank when it comes to electricity costs.  One final suggestion, have you’re A/C professionally serviced and cleaned every year.