Ways to Keep Electricity Bills Lower for Residential Air Conditioning

Most households try to keep their utility bills as low as possible without sacrificing comfort. If you're is fretting about high electricity bills in the summer, you could consider making your central air conditioner usage more efficient. Employing a few effective strategies throughout the warm weather season can help you reach this goal. Read on to learn more. 

Avoid Producing Heat

One way to keep the electric bill lower is to avoid producing heat in the home while using the air conditioner. Extra heat forces the equipment to work harder to maintain the thermostat temperature. This means not using the oven or creating steam while cooking. It's a good time to eat cool meals or use the microwave oven. Running the clothes dryer should be avoided if possible. 

Temperature Considerations

Consumer Reports urges households to set the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher when using air conditioning. This saves a significant amount of money compared with setting it even a few degrees lower. The strategy also causes less wear on the components.

You could also set the thermostat at 85 degrees when everyone is away for the day. The system uses less energy to cool the home back to 78 degrees than it does to maintain that lower temperature for many hours. Except on the hottest days, the air conditioning will rapidly cool the home down again. 

For some individuals, this temperature may seem a bit too high for comfort. People typically grow accustomed to it over time, however. Anyone who feels uncomfortably warm might try running a fan, which uses much less electricity. 

Annual Maintenance

Scheduling yearly maintenance is essential for keeping the equipment running as efficiently as possible. Dirty evaporator coils require more power because they must work harder. You might ask the technician to inspect the ductwork in addition to servicing the main equipment. Duct joints can separate a little over time, enough to cause cool air leaks behind walls and under floors. If any of these spots are found, the pipes can be tightened and sealed.

This service also helps prevents the equipment from breaking down during summer. Technicians identify components that should be replaced right away because they are wearing out. You probably don't want the added cost of a repair call some months later and the inconvenience of going without air conditioning on an excessively warm day or night. To schedule a maintenance appointment, you can contact local AC services.