It has already been a difficult year to save money. Whether you’re in Minneapolis or anywhere else in the US, many costs, like gas and mortgages, are going up. Saving on anything can help you get a boost to pay for any rising costs. Why not try saving on your air conditioning this summer? The average cost for electricity bills in the summer is $150 a month in the US, and most of this goes towards your air conditioning, but there are many ways to lower that cost. Here are some tips for saving on your HVAC system.
Plant trees
Planting trees isn’t just good for the environment. It also helps give your house shade, which cools your home. This is a more long-term solution because it takes years for trees to go, but it proves that there are benefits for thinking ahead with your home’s HVAC system. The sun gives off a lot of heat, and during the summer, it will warm up your home. Because of the movements of the sun, you’ll get the most shade if you have wide trees on the east and west sides and taller trees on the north and south sides of your home. This is because the sun is higher on the north and south sides, but lower in the morning and evening in the east and west.
Cover windows
Similar to how trees blocking out the sun helps cool your home, getting blinds or covering your windows can help cool your home. If you are like a lot of Minnesotans, the light from the sun is welcome into your home after a long winter, and covering your windows doesn’t mean you can’t let the light in. There are lighter curtains that block the rays of the sun but not the light. There are also several other options like solar screens and window films.
Get fans
Ceiling fans and standing fans are both great options to make your home feel cooler. Moving air in your home will make the temperature feel around six to seven degrees cooler. The best way to circulate air in your home is to close windows that are close to the fans and open windows in rooms without fans. This is especially important if you want to plan the way your air flows around your ceiling fans.
Economical temperature settings
If you notice that your bills are getting higher from your air conditioner usage, you might want to try adjusting the temperature you set your thermostat. Even a couple degrees higher can ease the stress on your air conditioner and use less energy. Less energy means less money being spent on air conditioning. If you decide to use fans to cool your home, you won’t have to set your thermostat as low as you normally do.
Get tune-ups
Regular tune-ups from certified HVAC professionals can make sure your air conditioner is working at its highest efficiency. Checking your vents and filters is one way we can help you get more cool air into your home than released from energy and any parts worn down. Regular tune-ups are proven to help keep a higher efficiency than if you didn’t get it serviced.
Update thermostat
Over the years, thermostats have improved to include ways to be programmed to have different temperatures at different times of the day. For example, you can have your thermostat turned to a higher temperature when you are out of the house to save energy on air conditioning in an empty house. There are even thermostats that can connect to your WiFi so that you can change and program the temperature from your phone. If that is something you are interested in, give us a call! There are a couple of options of WiFi thermostats that you can choose from.
Save money with your air conditioning this summer by investing in your HVAC system. Give us a call at Twin City Heating, Air and Electric to learn more about money-saving options for your home.
