Kentucky may not worry about much in the way of keeping homes warm, but when things get hot, they get humid in this part of the country too. While most people won’t complain about a warm house, when things get too hot and too humid, this can not only make things uncomfortable, it may damage electronics like computers that people use for not just for entertainment, but work.
So while we now have a heavy reliance on air conditioners to keep the environment more comfortable, that also means a rise in energy bills. There are, however, some easy maintenance tips you can follow to keep those bills lower.
Fix Leaks In Your Ducts
A common, cost-efficient solution to heating and cooling a home is the use of air ducts tied to an HVAC system.
This means that air is heated or cooled in a furnace and/or AC, then pumped through air ducts into all the rooms in the house.
However, air ducts are essentially pipes, and pipes, regardless of whether they carry gas or liquid, can spring a leak.
Leaks mean that not all the cooled air your home has generated is going where it needs to.
Over time, this adds up as your AC has to work harder and longer to maintain the right temperature. Having a professional inspect your air ducts and seal up any leaks can mean some significant savings.
Cover Your Windows
This answer will be different for every home depending on location and direction. But one thing remains the same; windows don’t just admit light, but also heat.
That means that if you’re trying to keep your home cool, and you’ve got exposed windows, those windows are heating up your home, causing your AC to struggle even more.
Try getting some curtains, drapes, or even blinds for the windows that get the full brunt of sunlight during certain times of the day. When those “hot spot” hours arrive, put those window dressings into action to reduce the amount of sunlight that comes in, and, subsequently, keep your home cooler as well.
Get a New Thermostat
If you’ve got an older home with an older thermostat that isn’t even digital or is a very old digital model, now may be a good time to upgrade.
Older thermostats are simpler to operate, but not very efficient since all you can do is set a temperature, then turn the thermostat on or off.
Modern thermostats are programmable, and now there’s a new wave of “smart” thermostats. These, while a bit more expensive, act like an “HVAC butler” constantly monitoring your home, measuring humidity, and even being able to tell when people are present or not, or whether an oven is operating.
Programmable thermostats can be set to specific temperatures at specific times for more efficiency, while new smart thermostats automatically make these adjustments once it “learns” the habitation patterns of people at home. They can even provide a wealth of usage data that shows you where your cooling is going and how it is being used.
Weather is generally pleasant and mild in Erlanger, KY, but summer here can be a trying affair without some good air conditioning. Keep your bills lower by practicing some smart usage, and be more efficient about how hard you make your AC work.