Air-conditioner Energy Savings

Some of our employees tend to wait until it's REALLY hot to turn on their air-conditioners.  Needless to say, yesterday qualified as really hot.  Summer usually brings with it the dreaded electrical utility bill.  As those air-conditioners rev up, so does your electric bill.  Here are some tips to help bring that electrical bill down:
  • Install a programmable thermostat so you can vary the temperature when you're not home.  Set it to a comfortable level when you're home.  If you'll be gone for more than a few hours, turn it up to 80-85 degrees.  You can then set it to start cooling down again before you get home as well.
  • Install Energy Star approced ceiling fans and run them on hot days.  If it's just a little too warm for comfort, use the ceiling fan without air conditioning.  If you need the air conditioning, using the ceiling fans at the same time allows you to raise your thermostat by 5 degrees which will reduce your energy costs.  
  • Close drapes or shades on the sunny side of your home.
  • Make sure the cool air vents aren't blocked by furniture or drapes.
  • Try to keep your home's internal heat down: cook outside on the grill, use a crockpot or microwave, set your dishwasher to "air dry", turn off lights when not in use, and turn off computers and home office equipment when not in use.
  • When buying a window air conditioning unit, more is not necessarily better.  An air conditioner that is too big for the room will work harder and cost you more.  Also look for an EER (energy efficiency ratio) of 11 or higher.
  • If your current central air-conditioner is older with a SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) of 8 or lower, it might be more cost-effective to buy a more energy efficient model.  Make sure the SEER number is 13 or higher.  High efficiency units do cost a little more but it will pay for itself in a few years by reducing your electric bill.
Posted by Boy's Electric at June 8, 2011
Categories: Minneapolis St Paul and Waconia Electrical Repairs, Electrical Repairs, Electrical
Tags: Ceiling Fan Electrical Repair Electrical Repairs Electrician Electrician Minneapolis Electrician St Paul Electrician Waconia Energy Savings
 

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