Summer brings family barbecues, trips to the pool, and rising temperatures.
Knowing the heat of summer is here, we uncover 4 ways you can be sure to beat the heat and avoid overpaying on your energy bill.
1. Start managing your windows.
You read that right: it is time to start managing your windows to take control of the summer heat. When possible, utilize energy-efficient window coverings that allow natural light to come in, but prevent solar heat gain in your home.
During the day, keep windows closed. If you then open them at night—that is, when it is a cool night—be sure to close them early in the morning. Last, place houseplants in front of your sunniest windows to help naturally absorb some of the sun’s rays coming in to your home.
2. Check your air conditioning & cooling system’s efficiency.
The Greater Comfort Heating & Cooling experts can help you consider and evaluate what it would mean to upgrade to a higher-efficiency unit. As much as 50 percent of people would be able to save money by switching to a high efficiency unit.
We can also make sure you have installed and set up a programmable thermostat. This alone can save 10 percent on heating and cooling over the course of a year. Also, one of the fastest ways to save energy on home cooling is to clean and replace your cooling unit’s filters. In some cases, you need to change your filters as much as once every three months.
3. Look at how you ventilate.
Ventilation is one of the least expensive ways to cool your home. Depending in your needs, natural ventilation, fans, and whole house fans are options. Natural ventilation will rely on wind to cool your home and is a fit for those who live in cooler climates. Fans, as you are aware, help you cool off in certain areas of your home.
Fans won’t cool your entire home by any means, but it is a great solution to help raise the thermostat but still let you be comfortable. Check to make sure that your fan is blowing wind downwards—not upwards, which wouldn’t do you any good! Last, whole house fans work to pull air in through your windows and exhaust it through the home’s attic and roof. Be sure to take advantage of your bathroom fans when you shower or when you cook. These help in removing the heat and humidity in your home.
4. Contact the Greater Comfort Heating & Cooling team.
Common air conditioning problems include issues with your refrigerant, sensor, thermostat, drainage or even your filters—all of which we can identity and work to quickly fix. Ask us about how we can help your home performance in other ways, including:
- Duct inspection & repair
- Insulation upgrades
- Vents you can close
- Other thermostat-related issues you may be unaware of
Our maintenance program brings well-trained technicians to your home to find and fix any problems with your air conditioning system. It is our goal to work with you to fix any inefficiencies in your cooling system! We examine airflow, check for seal duct leakage in central systems, your coils, capacitors, compressor and refrigerant. As much as 5 to 15 percent of your efficiency can be lost if you do not maintain the A/C.
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