Although many of us actively look forward to summer, none of us relish dealing with summertime cooling costs. The hotter the area and the larger the residence, the more money you can expect to shell out in utilities each month. However, while maintaining a cool home throughout the summer can be rather pricey, it’s possible that you’re inadvertently making the situation worse. So, if you or any other members of your household are guilty of the following behaviors, getting a handle on things stands to save you quite a bit.
Running Your A/C Around the Clock
There’s no denying that air conditioning is a highly effective cooling aid. In fact, if you’re based out of a warmer area, a good central A/C system may be nothing short of a necessity. However, regarding air conditioning as the only item in your home cooling toolkit stands to increase your household’s carbon footprint while putting a massive dent in your finances. So, if you currently run your A/C around the clock, now might be a good time to rethink this strategy.
For example, if the summer temps in your area experience a notable cooldown after the sun has set, why not take advantage of this? Opening some windows and allowing your ceiling fans to circulate the cool air from outside throughout your home can be a great way to give your air conditioning system a well-deserved break and help you keep summertime cooling costs in check. Furthermore, if you have a programmable A/C, consider setting it to automatically shut off once a certain temperature has been reached – and to automatically come back on once that temp has been exceeded.
Ignoring A/C Maintenance
In the absence of regular maintenance, even a highly robust A/C system is liable to experience serious issues and potentially even need to be replaced long before its projected lifespan is up. Luckily, you can nip this in the bud by committing to regular A/C maintenance. First off, this means having your central air conditioning system professionally serviced at least twice a year. Additionally, if you live in an area with year-round hot weather, your A/C system may need to be serviced on an even more frequent basis. These service calls will help ensure that problems are fixed in an expedient manner and emerging issues are caught before they’re able to become more serious – and more expensive.
Not Making Proper Use of Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans should never be regarded as second-tier cooling tools. Even if air conditioning is generally thought of as the most effective home cooling aid, it can’t be denied that ceiling fans have an integral role to play in your summertime cooling efforts, as well. For one thing, well-placed ceiling fans can work in tandem with air conditioning systems by distributing the cool air they produce throughout entire residences, thereby taking some of the burden off A/C. Secondly, when a ceiling fan’s blades have been adjusted to spin counterclockwise, it can produce a refreshing cool breeze that flows downward.
So, if your home’s ceiling fans are currently in need of an upgrade – or your residence lacks ceiling fans altogether – now is the time to make things right. Whether you’re looking to buy large ceiling fans or compact ones, you should have no trouble finding fans that are perfectly suited to your home’s summer cooling needs.
Using Heat-Producing Light Bulbs
If you’ve yet to make the switch to energy-efficient CFL or LED light bulbs, you’d do well to give the matter some serious thought. Energy-efficient bulbs not only last longer and consume less power than traditional incandescent bulbs, they also produce far less heat, which can make your home a lot more comfortable throughout the summer months. Although energy-efficient bulbs typically come with higher price tags than incandescents, the long-term savings they offer more than make up for the short-term financial sacrifice.
Summer is a time of year that many of us associate with revelry and good times. The season’s warm weather and favorable travel conditions make it the perfect time to cut loose and enjoy ourselves. However, the summer season also comes with a downside – exorbitant utility costs. Keeping an entire residence consistently cool throughout the summer months can prove both stressful and financially draining for many homeowners. And if you count yourself among them, take care to avoid the following mistakes.
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