The Beginner’s Guide to Air Conditioning Energy Savings this Summer

It’s so easy to turn off your air conditioning unit and keep the windows open during the spring and fall months. The weather isn’t too hot and a nice breeze blows through keeping your home cool.However, once the scorching, 90-degree days of summer roll in, it’s almost impossible to keep that mindset. The humidity makes it hard to sleep, the kids are begging you turn on the A/C and, despite your love of low energy bills, you find yourself caving in. Frankly, North Carolina and no air conditioning in the summer just don’t mix.
BUT, before you start penny pinching to ensure your budget can handle the heat this summer, there are ways to let your air conditioner run without breaking the bank!
Without further ado, here is our beginner’s guide to energy savings this summer. Read on for some tips and tricks to keep your energy bill low and your air conditioning on!
1. Turn the Thermostat Up When You’re Not Home
Did you know for each degree above 72 degrees you turn your thermostat up, you’ll save on average one percent on your energy bill.
Therefore, the first thing you can do to ensure you’re conserving energy is to turn up the thermostat above 72 degrees, turn on your fans and close your blinds when you’re leaving home. This will allow your air conditioning unit to turn on less frequently to cool your house down, and keeping the curtains closed will prevent the temperature inside the house from getting too warm while you’re gone.
2. Make Sure Your Vents are not Blocked
It’s important to know where your air vents are in your home and to ensure they are not being blocked by furniture, appliances, etc. This occurs more often in older homes where air vents are located in the ground rather than in the ceiling.
3. Keep Your Lights Off
A good rule of thumb to follow to keep your energy costs down in general is to ensure all lights are turned off if they do not need to be on. Lamps and ceiling lighting radiate a lot of heat and can cause rooms in your home to become warmer faster. New replacement air conditioning systems from MTB
4. Strategically Close Your Vents
If your home is multiple stories, you should strategically close vents around the home in order to amplify the air conditioning where you need it most. For example, if your basement has vents and stays cool on its own, closing the vents in your basement will force the air to be released upstairs in the main level of your home.
5. Check the Insulation in Your Air Ducts
Going hand-in-hand with strategically closing vents around your home, you should double-check the insulation in your air ducts. This means checking to ensure the areas where air ducts run through your home that are not air conditioned are insulated and are not leaking air. After all, you don’t need your attic receiving A/C!
6. Replace Your Air Filters Regularly
Keep in mind dirty air filters restrict the flow of air through them. By restricting air, it can cause your A/C unit to run longer as the cool air is not getting through fast enough. Aim to replace your air filters on a monthly basis to ensure your air conditioner is cooling your home down as efficiently as possible.
Think it’s going to be hard to remember to switch out your filter each month? Set a reminder on your phone or sign-up for MTB Mechanical’s free air filter reminder>>
7. Keep All Plants Away from Your HVAC Unit
When it comes to your landscaping, ensure there are no plants or vegetation blocking your condenser. In order for your HVAC unit to perform at its best, there needs to be air flow around it. Therefore, keep all plants and vegetation at least 18 inches away from your air conditioning unit so it can pull the air out of the environment without any obstruction.
8. Take Advantage of Your Bathroom Exhaust Fan
After you or a family member showers, take advantage of the exhaust fan to remove the heat and humidity from your bathroom before it hits the rest of your house. This will prevent your A/C unit from turning on throughout the house to counteract it.
9. Schedule Routine Maintenance
Because most air conditioning units are housed outside in the elements, it is not uncommon for your A/C unit to experience some wear and tear. By scheduling basic maintenance and inspections you can make sure your unit lasts as long as possible!
MTB Mechanical is proud to offer routine air conditioning maintenance services. Call 704-321-9250 to speak to a MTB representative to schedule your maintenance service today.
If you’ve been following the tips and tricks in the beginner’s guide above, haven’t seen your energy bill go down and your air conditioner is about 10 years old, it might be time to replace it. MTB Mechanical offers a wide range of top-of-the-line A/C units and is prepared to help you find the perfect fit for keeping your home cool this summer.
By keeping in mind performance, efficiency, durability, and your budget, the team at MTB Mechanical will help you find the system for your home, and will even come install it! Learn more about MTB Mechanical’s A/C replacement process and get additional information on how you can invest in a new air conditioner today!