A cooling and heating system is undoubtedly one of the topmost energy guzzlers in most homes, making most people dread receiving the air conditioning or heating bills every month. Most if not all homeowners would love to remain comfortable while saving money and reducing AC running costs.
You don’t have to break the bank with hefty HVAC bills every month, you can put to good use the energy savings tips below to cut down on your electricity costs and thus save money on your Heating and Air conditioning bills, not to mention protect the environment, too.
- Keep Heat Out of the House to Lower AC Bills
During the summer months, close the blinds and curtains on the sunny side of your house to block the sun’s rays from streaming into the house. In case you have very large windows, you can try various window treatment ideas such as installing reflective window tint to prevent too much heat from streaming into the house. This helps keep your air conditioning off when you don’t need it and save it for the crucial times when you really do.
- Make an Upgrade to your Thermostat
If you haven’t already, upgrade to a programmable thermostat with a built-in timer to maximize energy efficiency and save on energy costs. Frequently changing your thermostat settings leads to a high waste of energy. Having a programmable thermostat means you can set your AC to your desired temperature to offer both comfort and cost savings. What’s more, you can set the temperature so that your heating and cooling system runs less when no one is home or when you are sleeping.
- Use the Sun to Heat Your Home
On sunny winter days, use nature’s free gift to warm your home naturally.
- Only Cool and Heat the Necessary Rooms
Close off rooms that you are not using often and turn off the cooling ducts to the rooms, as well. Moreover, always turn off the lights when they are not in use. Most people do not realize this, but some heat-generating household equipment includes the Television, Computers, Lamps, the Printer and of course lights, can prevent the air conditioning system from working perfectly. When these household essentials are on, they emit heat which makes the HVAC unit work harder to keep the temperatures under control.
- Perform Regular Maintenance
Whether you have a window AC unit or central AC unit, it is advisable to always conduct regular maintenance every 3 months or even sooner to change your air filter. What’s more, have a professional check out your Kamloops heating and air conditioning system annually to diagnose any anomalies and fix them.
- Plant Shade Trees and Shrubs
If there is any way you can help shade your house, the better the chances are that you will have energy savings. Shading your home helps your home to stay cooler and ease the work of your AC unit. This means your cooling unit will not have to work at optimal levels, hence saving energy costs. Therefore, go ahead and plant lots of trees and shrubs to turn down the heat.
- Ensure the Attic is Properly Ventilated
Did you know that about 30 percent of heat is absorbed through the roof, adding to AC costs? Ensure your attic is built to be properly ventilated or install an attic fan or a ridge vent to reduce cooling costs.
Wrapping Up
There you have it - the most effective ways to lower energy costs and reduce your HVAC bills every month.