Discover the Secret to Keeping Cooling Costs Low This Season
There’s something special about summer in Kansas City. Whether you’re watching the local baseball team, grilling outside with friends, sunning by the pool, or relaxing with a cold beverage and book, there’s something to enjoy for everyone. But as the summer heat ramps up, it can be hard to enjoy it if your air conditioning costs destroy your budget.
With years of experience in the industry, our professional HVAC technicians at Blue Heating and Cooling have gathered a wealth of knowledge on how to optimize your cooling system and save money on energy bills during the summer months.
Here are the essential money-saving tips straight from our expert technicians to help you stay comfortable and financially savvy all summer long.
Schedule Regular Maintenance From a Professional HVAC Technician
One of the most effective ways to save money on cooling costs is to schedule regular maintenance for your HVAC system. As professional HVAC technicians, we recommend having your system serviced twice a year, once during spring and once during fall.
During a maintenance visit, our technicians will inspect, clean, and test your HVAC system, ensuring that it operates at peak efficiency. Contact us to schedule a maintenance appointment.
How does maintenance save you money? You’re avoiding costly repairs after major breakdowns by preventing them altogether. You’re also extending the lifespan of your system, so you don’t need to prematurely purchase a new one. And finally, a well-maintained system can save you up to 15% on energy usage, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Clean or Replace Air Filters Regularly
Dirty air filters can restrict airflow and cause your HVAC system to work harder than necessary. This in turn leads to increased energy consumption and higher utility bills.
To avoid this, our HVAC technicians advise you to regularly clean or replace your air filters. If you have children or pets, replace your air filter every 30 days. Other households can change their air filters as often as every 60 or 90 days.
This simple but important maintenance task can improve indoor air quality and help your cooling system operate more efficiently.
How do clean filters save you money? Your system will consume less energy trying to push air through a clean filter than it does through a dirty one. Cleaner air at home can also reduce allergy or asthma symptoms, which can save you money on medications and doctor visits.
Use a Smart Thermostat to Control Your Air Conditioner
Investing in a smart thermostat can help you save money on cooling costs during the summer. Our HVAC technicians recommend programming your thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature based on your schedule, and many modern day thermostats use Wi-Fi that connects to an app on your phone. This gives you the freedom to set the temperature higher when you’re away from home during the day and lower it in the evenings when you’re home and need cooling.
Smart thermostats can even learn your habits, adjusting your home’s temperature based on a routine it learns, and even changing it to an energy-saving setting when it senses no one is home.
Contact us to purchase and install a smart thermostat that works with your central heating and cooling system.
How does a smart thermostat save you money? By optimizing your cooling schedule, you can reduce energy usage and save money on your utility bills.
Seal Air Leaks and Insulate Your Home
Air can sometimes leak around windows and doors, allowing cool, conditioned air to escape from your home and hot summer air to enter. Unfortunately, this forces your HVAC system to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Our professional HVAC technicians suggest sealing any gaps or cracks with caulk or weatherstripping to prevent air leakage. Additionally, proper insulation in attics, walls, and crawl spaces can help retain cool air indoors and reduce the workload on your cooling system, leading to energy savings.
Why does sealing air leaks save money? By keeping cooled air inside, your thermostat will sense that your home’s temperature is comfortable, and your air conditioner will cycle – or run – less. In turn, you’ll use less energy and see lowered utility bills.
Utilize Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are a cost-effective way to enhance cooling efficiency and circulate air throughout your home. Our HVAC technicians recommend using ceiling fans in conjunction with your HVAC system to circulate cool air more effectively.
Energy conservation experts recommend you to set your ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise in the summer to create a downward airflow, which can make you feel cooler without lowering the thermostat temperature.
How do ceiling fans save money? Most residential ceiling fans use far less energy to operate than your central air conditioning system. As a result, using them to help maintain your comfort will reduce your reliance on your air conditioner.
Invest in an Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner
If your HVAC system is outdated or inefficient, upgrading to a newer, more energy-efficient model can lead to significant cost savings over time. Our HVAC technicians can help you select a new air conditioner with a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating. A SEER rating measures the annual energy consumption and overall efficiency of an AC system and its ability to cool effectively in day-to-day use. A higher SEER value means that less energy is used to cool your home, therefore providing optimal cooling with minimal energy consumption.
How do efficient ACs save you money? Air conditioners with high SEER ratings use less energy to cool your home. As a result, your energy consumption is reduced overall, and you’re likely to see lower utility bills each month.
Sign Up for an HVAC Service Agreement
Service agreements, such as the one we offer at Blue Heating and Cooling, are a great way to secure regular HVAC maintenance that helps prevent costly repairs, premature replacement, and high energy bills! We send one of our highly-qualified HVAC service technicians to inspect and maintain your cooling unit in spring and your heater in fall – no matter what type you have.
We take care of the maintenance of your HVAC system, so you can enjoy the summer months in comfort – and with no worries.
Call us today to start a service agreement with Blue Heating and Cooling and start saving money on your energy bills this summer!
