Originally published: September 2021
You want your home to be a cool oasis, but your electricity bill is too high. Using air conditioning in your Florida home may be costing you a small fortune. But you’re in luck, because today we’re talking about how you can save on cooling costs.
As a Tampa homeowner, you’re likely using your AC year-round. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) described the serious nature of this concern for homeowners, reporting that the cost of home energy put families at financial risk as 2023 summer temperatures reached record highs, leading to greater AC costs.
So, what can you do?
With the support and knowledge of Action Air Conditioning, you will learn how to save more money on cooling costs starting today.
Let’s dive into our best tips and tricks to help your system consume less energy!
5 Ways To Save On AC Costs
If you’re concerned about experiencing financial issues as a result of rising energy costs, don’t worry! There are several ways to save.
The following are Action Air Conditioning’s top 6 tips for decreasing your cooling costs every month:
1. The Sun
Light from the sun can generate intense heat. When it enters your home through your window panes, your cooling cost almost doubles!
So block out those rays with:
- Shades
- Solar Screens
- Curtains
- Blinds
- Tints
Select the options that reflect the sun rather than absorb it, since they’ll be most effective. Examples include insulated cellular shades and solar screens that can reduce your cooling costs by up to 40%.
If insulated windows aren’t in your budget, choose light colors for your window coverings.
In addition to shading your windows, consider shading for your condenser unit. Creating shade with shrubs and trees leads to 2 to 10% energy savings. And they all add up!
Let’s take a look at tip #2 for even more energy saving ideas.
2. Seal All Gaps
Florida’s subtropical climate is hot and humid, the opposite of what you want in your home!
But the outdoor air enters if there are cracks, gaps, and holes around your windows and doors. This can make your AC work harder to cool your home, raising energy costs and straining your system!
Here are a few steps you can take to insulate your home better:
- Improve the insulation in your attic space
- Replace the weather stripping around doors
- Seal around your windows with caulk
A well-insulated house will allow efficient HVAC cycling of 15 to 20 minutes, with 7 to 10 minutes in between. If your AC has to work harder to keep your home cool, the cycling will be longer, drawing more electricity and wearing itself down prematurely.
However, as the Department of Energy (DOE) suggests, insulation that fills building cavities reduces airflow or leakage and saves energy.
3. Set Your Thermostat Higher
Turning down the temperature setting on your thermostat will not make your AC cool your home down faster. Most people have their thermostats set at a much lower temperature than they should, which wastes energy. For instance, setting your thermostat to 60 degrees will cause your compressor to keep running to reach the desired temperature, increasing your system’s wear and tear. The longer your AC runs, the less efficient it is.
Instead, the DOE recommends keeping your home 10 degrees higher than your normal setting. So, if you have it set to 68, change it to 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re at home. You can turn it to 83 degrees when you leave home. Essentially, the smaller the difference between the outdoor and indoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. This small change can decrease your cooling costs by 10%.
Legal Warning: Please note that these recommendations are general guidelines. It’s important to keep your home at a temperature where you feel comfortable. Before making significant changes to your thermostat settings, consult a healthcare professional if you have any health concerns that heat could exacerbate. Your health and safety should always be the top priority.
If you don’t want to babysit your thermostat, use a programmable or smart thermostat. This way, you can plan a temperature schedule that matches your daily habits.
Smart thermostats will be beneficial for those with a chaotic lifestyle. They connect to your Wi-Fi-enabled smart devices (i.e., cell phone or tablet) to allow you to review your AC usage remotely and make temperature adjustments in real time.
The thermostat app will use your phone’s location to tell your AC to initiate your scheduled “away from home” temperature settings. Isn’t that neat?
4. Schedule AC Maintenance
If you are still feeling hot, it’s time to call the professionals because your air conditioning unit may be malfunctioning! Your system should receive routine maintenance annually to help it run smoothly, extend its lifespan, and prevent expensive repairs.
Minor repairs will prevent extensive repairs or unit replacements. With regular tune-ups like changing your dirty air filter, you can reduce your AC’s energy consumption by about 5 to 15%. As a result, your power bill will be lower.
That’s because dirty filters restrict airflow, causing your system to struggle. Obstructed airflow will prevent as much cool air from reaching your indoor living space.
Your system operates harder and longer, which eventually results in AC malfunction. So, change your air filters every 60 to 90 days to prevent system strain.
The good news is regular maintenance maximizes system efficiency. An efficient system will have a higher cooling capacity and successfully remove humidity from your home. In return, your energy use and power bills are reduced. But when you continually skip AC checks, you risk irreversible damage, which shortens your system’s lifespan.
To avoid these concerns, rely on Tampa Bay’s Action Air Conditioning specialists! Consult the professionals for repairs or maintenance to avoid costly mistakes.
5. Seal Your AC Ducts
The DOE explains that one of the primary sources of energy losses in your HVAC system is air loss through your AC ducts. Unsealed ducts leak cool air into warm spaces, adding hundreds of dollars to your monthly utility bills.
To eliminate this issue, have a professional seal and insulate your ducts. Insulating ducts in unconditioned spaces is a cost-effective solution.
Alternatively, you may have to upgrade blocked ducts. Either way, addressing these problems within your system equates to significant savings.
Call On Tampa Bay’s Action Air Conditioning Services To Reduce Your Cooling Costs!
With an enhanced understanding of how to save on cooling costs, you can extend the health of your HVAC system. The benefit is that your air conditioning will function efficiently. But sometimes, the only way to save on cooling costs is by consulting your local professionals.
When it’s time to call in the professionals, contact Action Air Conditioning to speak with our experts. We will analyze your living space, inspect your AC, and recommend reliable equipment that will suit your needs.