Three Ways To Reduce Your Air Conditioner Usage To Lower Your Utility Bills

Running your air conditioner through the day and night when it's hot outside can make the interior of your home a chilly sanctuary, but you'll feel anything but cool and calm when your next utility bill arrives and is higher than expected. Regular usage of your air conditioner can boost your bill, but it's possible to adopt different strategies that can limit your air conditioner usage and help you save money. You don't have to put up with hot, sticky temperatures inside your home, either – these three ideas will keep you cool and help you keep your cool when the bill arrives.

Be Smart With Your Thermostat

Programming your thermostat in the right way is one of the best methods you can use to reduce your air conditioner usage and save money on your utility bills. Set your thermostat so that your system turns off around the time you leave your home each morning and then turns on again shortly before you're due to arrive back home. There's no point in having your home kept chilly when it's empty. A thermostat is ideal for these settings because you won't have to try to remember to turn the A/C off before you leave for work and your mind is busy thinking about the workday ahead.

Reduce Inefficiencies In Your Home

Many homes have inefficient areas in which the inside air is allowed to escape to the outdoors, and vice versa. If hot air can find a way inside your home, it means that your air conditioner will run longer than it should to lower the interior temperature to a comfortable level. You can identify inefficiencies around windows and doors by holding a candle in the area; a flickering flame means the candle is detecting a gust of air. Seal any openings around a window with caulking and replace worn weather stripping around your doors.

Enjoy Fresh Air Overnight

If the overnight temperature where you live reaches a low level, it can be advantageous to open all the windows on the upper floor of your home to allow the cold air to enter. Doing so will reduce the temperature in your home, which can result in less use of your air conditioner. It's often ideal to open windows at opposite ends of the upper floor to create a cross-breeze that cools the entire space. Fans placed near the windows can also help to draw cool exterior air inside when it's not windy outside.

For more tips on reducing your air conditioning usage, contact Ron Hammes Refrigeration.