There are a number of ways to save on your utility bills this summer and to put less stress on your air conditioning in New Braunfels. One way is to keep cold air in your home and to spend less by utilizing your windows.

Utilize Natural Ventilation

The best way to save wear and tear on your ac system and to lower your utility bills is to open your windows when the outdoor temperature is cooler than your home. Then, when it begins to heat up, you should shut your windows and any curtains or blinds that are in the sun to help keep the sun and the heat out.

Program Your Thermostat To Save You Money

You should also make sure that your thermostat is operating efficiently. In other words, you want to set your thermostat higher so that your Kyle air conditioning unit will not have to kick in quite as often. When you are on vacation or away from home during the day because you are at work you can keep your home even warmer. If this sounds like a lot of work you can always use a programmable thermostat to make it easy for you. If you don’t already have one, you will want to call up your HVAC technician to put one in for you. It will help you effortlessly save money over the year.

Use Those Ceiling Fans

You can also use fans to help circulate the air in your home and to keep you comfortable. Ceiling fans are very useful to have and can actually change the temperature in your home while keeping you comfortable. Many ceiling fans are Energy Star compliant as well. They use very little energy to run which means more savings for you.

Get Regular Maintenance

It is very important to have your air conditioner regularly serviced as well to keep it running smoothly and also to avoid unnecessary breakdowns. It is a good idea to get your Kyle air conditioning unit serviced in the spring and to have it serviced for the winter if you live in an area that gets cold in the winter.

Keep Your AC Clean

You should also keep dirt and debris away from your unit, and that includes leaves, bushes, plants, and weeds. If you have a tree that loses its leaves near your air conditioner you need to make sure that they are raked up and you may also need to trim any tall grass that may be around it. You can also reduce the strain on your air conditioner by reducing the temperature if you can by not using the oven on hot days or by turning off lights when you are not using them. You can also wash your clothes on a cold cycle and hang laundry up to dry to reduce the amount of time that appliances are running. Pretty much every appliance, and light bulbs, will put off a little heat that can all add up. Even a couple of degrees can make your air conditioner work harder to keep your home cool and comfortable.

Keep Doors Closed

Did you know that occupant behavior has an effect on you’re a/c? Yes remember all those times where your mom kept screaming at you to shut the door… Yep she was right! It’s always a good idea to keep doors closed. Who knew our moms were geniuses. Frequently opening the door to the outside or the thermostat constantly being changed can really take its toll on your unit.

Heat Load

To make sure you get the most out of any air conditioning system you purchase you have to… and I mean HAVE to make sure that they do a heat load! It’s so crazy when we go to a customer who has already received 2 bids from other companies and when I hand them their copy of the heat load results they have no clue what they are looking at.

What makes my heart sink is when the customer was told by the other company that they needed a size larger than what the heat load came out to. The reason being oversized equipment is going to fail sooner. The author of “Fundamentals of HVAC/R Carter Stanfield put it this way.

“Oversized equipment is going to fail sooner than its property sized counterparts. A lot of that comes from the on-off cycling. For air conditioning, the start-up period is the hardest period for the compressor. Lubrication is not as good at first, and some oil gets pumped out and takes a while to return. Initial current inrush is high for all motors other than the newer electronically controlled ones where the controls prevent this. For furnaces, the temperature extremes between off and on cause expansion and contraction of the heat exchanger, which places more stress on it. So, I would tend to look more at cycling (starting and stopping) as a factor that could shorten a system’s life. Proper sizing is critical due to its effect on cycling. Units with newer staging and modulating controls may last longer because of this- if their electronics hold up. HVACR systems are harsh environments for electronics.”

For more information about tips, energy efficiency, or air conditioning repair in San Marcos, reach out to AirOne Heating and Air Conditioning, your local San Marcos air conditioning and ventilation experts.