Air-conditioning on a budget – 11 ways to improve AC efficiency.

It’s that time of year – that time when it’s unbearably hot but no matter what you do, you must have air conditioning on. Turning it off is just not a realistic situation. Really, it’s not. Sure everyone thinks, we can always turn off the AC if it gets too high, but does anyone really do that – not really! When we’re dealing with 112 degrees out, it’s just not plausible. We feel your pain though, it can be costly to run that AC unit, so we came up with a few ways for you to improve the efficiency of your Air Conditioning, without breaking your wallet. (We’re not promising it won’t cause a dent, or a money crease).

1. Clean Air Filters on a regular basis (monthly). Surprise, surprise but the cleaner your filters are the faster they are at providing air circulation. The dirtier your air conditioning unit is, the more likely it is to block the air circulation, causing the unit to work hard and not allowing the air to pass by as frequently. This raises the cost of your energy bill by causing your unit to work harder then necessary. Help it out a little, make sure it’s cleaned regularly and when necessary, replace it. You wouldn’t neglect giving your car an oil change would you (please say no)? Just as you have to do regular maintenance and upkeep on your vehicles and other technology, you have to do the same with your AC units.
2. Clean debris from around your HVAC unit. You don’t want leaves, bushes, trash or anything else causing your air conditioning unit to be ineffective. To be safe just make sure there is plenty of free space surrounding your heating ventilation air conditioning unit when it’s installed and to keep a regular eye on it to ensure it remains clear and free to work as seamlessly as possible.
3. Replace Air Filters when dirty. See #1 if you have any questions as to why. It’s that important it’s on the list x 2.
4. Make sure your air ducts are insulated and sealed. When you have insulated air ducts you’re able to keep the air conditioning in an enclosed space, allowing for the air to spread. Without insulated air ducts the air ventilation can escape a lot quicker which causes your energy bill to increase because your HVAC unit is working a lot harder to keep your house cool when the ducts are not insulated and sealed.
5. Don’t forget to make sure your attic is properly ventilated too. Did you know that if you do not properly vent your attic that it can raise your cooling costs by up to 10%? Proper attic ventilation will help keep you cool during those hot months and warm during those cool months so making sure it’s properly ventilated is a huge asset.
6. Make sure your dryers vent is at least 10 feet away from your HVAC unit. Did you know that lint from the dryer can lower a HVAC unit’s efficiency level simply because the lint from a dryer will then cling to the compressed coils on the AC unit causing it not to function, which of course, is no good. When you keep your dryer vents 10 feet away you lessen the chances of coils causing damage.
7. Use your ceiling fans or other fans in conjunction with your AC unit. People tend to turn off their fans when they have their AC units on thinking that their AC units will replace the need for fans, well Norcal Electric & Pump Work is going to let you in on a little secret – ceiling fans can actually help keep your home cool by helping to circulate the cool air throughout the room and home. The more the ceiling fans help circulate the air conditioning units, the less strain on your HVAC unit and energy.
8. Keep lights that are underutilized turned off! The hotter a room is the longer it is to cool a room down. The longer a room is to cool down, the more your HVAC system needs to work in order to cool it down. Wondering what the solution is? Keep the lights off. We all know that lights can easily add unnecessary heat to any room, by turning off lights that aren’t be utilized we’re able to help keep the natural air temperature down, even if it’s just a few degrees.
9. What was that, you don’t have blinds for your windows? Make sure to get some. Especially for those south or west facing windows that will kill ya during the hot parts of the day.
10. What we’re saying is, avoid the heat. Try turning off appliances that cause additional heat such as oven, dishwasher, dryer, etc. The less heat you use, the less AC it will take to keep you cool, thereby helping keep your cooling costs to a minimum – awesome right?!
    1. If it’s hot out, think about drying your clothes outside instead of in your dryer. This does three things.
       • It allows you to keep the temperature in your home low
       • It allows you to keep your energy bill lower
       • you still get to dry your clothes! (this is a win-win-win situation)
11. When you leave the house raise the thermostat (also, please keep it on auto not on) – this not only helps with lowering your energy bill but also helps your air conditioning unit serve more efficiently since it won’t have to work as hard, all the time. There’s no reason for you to keep your AC “on” if you’re out of the house. By putting it on auto, you’ll still be able to keep the home cooler, without it running the full time.

Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way. We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more!

• Chico: (530) 345-5003
• Paradise: (530) 872-3922
• Oroville/Yankee Hill (530) 538-9350