Every year around this time, we cross our fingers and hope that our old A/C units will survive another Arizona summer. We’d been noticing something not quite right about the airflow in our home and brought in a professional to diagnose this situation. They adjusted our dampers, inspected our units, and made recommendations about optimizing our Nest thermostat (to make everyone in the home happy!) AND save money on our energy bill.

Cover Sunny Windows

Once the heat gets inside your home or office, your AC system needs to work to remove it. An easy way to reduce the transfer of heat into your home or office from the outside is to draw the shades in sunny rooms. Window films and external solar shades can also greatly reduce heat transfer from outside to inside. These days, there are plenty of attractive options for blinds and draperies that look nice and keep out the heat.

Strategize Energy Usage Times

Look at your utility provider bill, paying special attention to when you use the most energy. Keep big usages limited to lower-cost times of the day/week.  Pre-cooling your home/office before shifting to higher per-hour rate plans can generate significant savings on your monthly bill.

Change Air Filters Regularly

We tend to forget that most air conditioners have disposable filters to clean impurities out of the air in your home or office. Once these filters are caked with dust, hair, and other particulates your AC has to strain to suck air through them. Plus, you’re breathing in all that stuff, too. During the summer (May through October) when its dustier, we recommend changing filters every 30 days. Use inexpensive, lower MERV-rated filters to catch the most particulates without breaking the bank.

Insulate Well!

Make sure your attic insulation is at the proper level. In some very hot or cold parts of the country, homeowners can even opt for extra insulation. Fifty percent of a home’s heat gain – heat transfer from outside to inside – comes from the ceiling, so extra attic insulation can have a big impact on how hard your AC is working and the corresponding energy bills.

Adjust Ceiling Fans

Adjust the controls on your ceiling fan to rotate fans clockwise, at a low speed, in the winter months to reduce heating costs. On the contrary, turn your ceiling fan counterclockwise in the summertime to keep your home cooler.  Who knew?!

Check Air Vents

It’s simple but worth a reminder to make sure all air vents are open and properly distributing air throughout all the required rooms. If all the vents are open but less air is flowing out in some rooms versus others, call an HVAC company to investigate. There are many reasons why low airflow can occur, but all of them result in forcing your AC to work harder which increases energy bills and shortens system life.

Help Your AC Help You – Get a Maintenance Check

Scheduling pre-summer air conditioner maintenance ensures the system is tuned to operate at higher summer temperatures. Cleaning removes dirt and allows the system to maximize performance, keeping your home/office cooler with less stress on the system, which reduces energy bills. Before scheduling your maintenance appointment, make sure you are working with a reputable AC company since, unfortunately, some less reputable ones may use a maintenance appointment as an invitation for a hefty repair bill.

Utilize Improved Cooling Technology

 It may be time to change your older air conditioning system to a newer, high efficiency system. Many homes have AC systems that are 10 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), but new units are 18+ SEER. Higher SEER equates to improved cooling technology which also has a positive effect on your monthly bill in one of two ways: 1) Better cooling and comfort for less money, or 2) The same comfort for significantly lower energy costs.  Top-rated brands today include Tempstar, Rheem, Bosch, and American Standard.

Whether it’s your car, your water heater, or your air conditioning and heating unit, studies show that regular maintenance extends equipment life and costs customers less money for repairs and replacement. In fact, according to the Indoor Air Quality Association, regular maintenance can reduce the risk of costly breakdowns by as much as 95%. Preventive maintenance also helps ensure that your AC and heating system runs at peak efficiency. This can mean savings of up to 30% on your energy bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

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About Mattisinko Group | Scottsdale, Arizona

Rob and Dani are dedicated to educating and guiding you toward wise decisions. Armed with in-depth market knowledge, pricing expertise, custom marketing strategies, and sharp negotiation skills, this team can help you reach your real estate and lifestyle goals. 480-REALTOR (732-5867)