Your air conditioner is a lifesaver, but most of us take our AC units for granted and barely give them a second thought until the bills arrive. While we might not want to imagine living without them, having an AC unit can really eat away at your family budget. There are, however, simple ways you can cut your energy costs but still use your air conditioning all year round. Here are a few top tips to help save you money while staying cool.
Keep Checking Your Thermostat
It sounds so basic, but most of us forget to check the thermostat and just leave the AC ticking away at the same level regardless of the weather. On cooler days, your house won’t be heating up so much, so it makes sense to turn the AC down or switch it off altogether. The same is true if you’re out of the house. How many times have you left the AC running when you’ve gone out for the day? There’s no point paying to cool an empty home, so always remember to switch it off when you’re not around.
Reduce Your Cooking Time
Using the oven or stove warms your house up more than you think, and that means your AC unit has to work harder. If you can, reduce the amount of time you have your oven on and think about using smaller, heat-saving appliances such as slow cookers, pressure cookers or air fryers. When you generate less heat, your AC doesn’t have to work so hard, which means it costs you less.
Protect Your Windows
Keeping heat out of your home will also help cut your AC bills. You can now buy heat control window film which stops the hot sunlight warming your space, but even the simple act of closing the blinds can reduce the amount of heat coming in and, therefore, the amount of work your AC has to do to counter it.
Find Other Ways To Cool Off
The lower levels of your house are always cooler, so turning down the AC and hanging out in the basement more often can reduce how much you’re spending. If you’re lucky enough to have a pool or a beach nearby, then switching off the AC and heading outside for a dip whenever you can is a great alternative.
Get Your Ac Unit Serviced Regularly
Having your AC unit serviced on a regular basis is one of the best ways to save money on energy bills. A professional AC engineer can check all the vents for debris and fix any faults in the system. Blocked vents mean your AC unit has a harder time getting the cool air out, which means you don’t feel the benefit and probably crank up the power.
Cutting the amount you’re spending on air conditioning is all a matter of reducing the heat in your home, looking for smart alternatives and ensuring your AC unit is in good working order. For a full AC service or to install a more efficient system, simply get in touch with us today.
