Central air conditioning isn’t just something that’s “nice to have” in any area of Florida. It’s an absolute necessity. Of course, by now, you’re probably tired of using yours. Not because it doesn’t provide comfort, but because it’s so dang expensive, right? After all, HVAC use accounts for about half of all utility costs. It makes sense you’d like to use less energy in order to save money. What if we told you there was a way to do so without sacrificing comfort?
Actually, there are a number of ways to do so without sacrificing comfort! All it takes is boosting the efficiency of your central air conditioning system. Read on as we tell you how to do just that.
Turn the Thermostat Up
“Wait, what?” you may be wondering, “you want me to heat my home right now?”
No, that’s not what we’re saying. What we are saying though is that most homeowners make it much colder than it actually needs to be in their households. To maintain comfort, most folks are perfectly fine with thermostat settings around 78°F, however, homeowners often set theirs to 71°F instead. Their thought process is typically that the lower they set the thermostat, the faster their house will cool down, but unfortunately, that’s not true.
Having your air conditioner’s thermostat set too low will only make your cooling system run longer, which is a waste of energy and subsequently a waste of money, too.
Use Your Ceiling Fans!
A ceiling fan, or even a group of ceiling fans, cannot lower the temperature of your living space. However, fans can absolutely help you feel cooler, since they help sweat to evaporate from your body, keeping you cool. Therefore, if you use your ceiling fans in combination with your air conditioner, you can turn the thermostat up a couple of degrees and use less energy.
Ceiling fans help to push cold air down and evenly distribute it, while keeping warm air rising, for more effective and efficient AC use.
Change the Air Filter
There are very few maintenance tasks that we would suggest a homeowner attempt on their own. Changing an air filter though, is something that every homeowner should know how to do, and should do, every 1-3 months.
The air filter that comes standard with your HVAC systems can get clogged up with dirt, dust, and other debris. This debris prevents the AC system from effectively drawing in the hot air from your home. Your air conditioner will run longer and wast energy trying to compensate.
Maintain the System
Did you have maintenance done this past spring? AC maintenance is essential to keeping your system running smoothly and keeping it clean so it will work effectively. Without maintenance, components in your system can start wearing down without your knowledge. This will lead to not only efficiency problems, but also premature breakdowns. While we usually recommend springtime maintenance, there’s no time like the present to schedule your next tune-up!
Contact Climate Masters today for quality St Augustine central air conditioning services! Serving St. Johns County since 1988 with quality, hometown service.
