The Most Efficient Ways to Use Your Air Conditioner

We’re still experiencing relatively mild temperatures here in the Durham area, but the weather will continue to warm up as we make our way through spring and into summer. Now is a good time to review some of the ways you can use our air conditioning systems more efficiently—not only to save money on your electric bill but also to help the environment.

Here nine easy ways to use your AC more efficiently:

• Leave the thermostat alone!
• Keep curtains closed and blinds drawn.
• Use fans to circulate air.
• Get rid of hot air.
• Use a dehumidifier.
• Keep your outdoor AC unit out of the sun.
• Save your chores for the evening.
• Only use it when you need it.
• Clean your filters.

If you need an AC tune-up, are dealing with an air conditioning emergency, or are interested in installing a more energy-efficient unit, now is the time to involve our Durham AC pros at JD Service Now. Call 919-383-7000 to find out how we can help!

9 Ways to Use Your AC More Efficiently

You don’t have to be uncomfortable, and it doesn’t have to be difficult to use your air conditioner efficiently. In fact, taking a few steps can improve your system’s ability to cool your home. It can also protect your system from unnecessary breakdowns, saving you time and headaches in the long run!

Take the following steps to use your AC efficiently:

• Leave the thermostat alone: It’s tempting to constantly adjust it, especially when you’re hot and uncomfortable. However, we recommend finding a temperature you can bear and sticking to it. Maybe you’ve settled on 78 degrees or 73 degrees. Once you’ve decided, try not to constantly fiddle with the thermostat. If it’s 80 degrees inside your home, setting the thermostat to 60 degrees will not make it cool off faster than setting it to 78 or 73.
• Keep curtains closed and blinds drawn: Direct and even indirect sunlight can dramatically increase the temperature inside your home, making your AC system work harder to keep it cool. Keep the curtains closed and help your system work more efficiently.
• Utilize fans to circulate air. Fans are an inexpensive and effective way to cool any living space. Ceiling fans, floor fans, and even small desktop fans circulate the air to help reduce temperatures, and you can move them so they’re blowing directly on you to cool you off even further. You may find that you can adjust your air conditioner to a warmer setting when you have fans running.
• Get rid of hot air: The last thing you want to do is add hot air to your home while using your AC to cool it. If you’re cooking, use the exhaust fan above your stove. If you don’t have an exhaust fan, use a floor fan to move hot air out of the kitchen.
• Use a dehumidifier: Humidity will make warm temperatures seem even warmer. This is true inside and outside, so if you have a dehumidifier in your home, use it. It can help you feel more comfortable, and you may find that you can set your AC to a warmer temperature or use it less when you use your dehumidifier combined with floor and ceiling fans.
• Keep your outdoor AC unit out of the sun: The north side of a home is the ideal spot for an air conditioning unit. While this is not always possible based on the layout of your house, you can plant trees or shrubs to offer shade to your outdoor unit.
• Save your chores for the evening: Cooking is the most obvious culprit when it comes to household chores that can heat up your home. Your washer and drier can also increase temperatures. Saving chores for the evening can help keep your home cool and save money on your electric bill, as some areas apply increased rates for using electricity during peak hours.
• Only use it when you need it: If you’re not home or are not using a certain area of your house, keep it warmer. Only cool spaces you’re using, and only use the AC when you’re home. You can set it to turn on shortly before you arrive home so you’re comfortable walking through the door but don’t waste money on cooling a home with no one in it.
• Clean your filters: We saved the best for last when it comes to keeping your AC unit working efficiently. Regularly cleaning or changing your filters will keep your system working smoothly. Clogged filters make the system work overtime and can lead to unnecessary wear and tear or complete breakdowns. With clean filters, your air conditioner can keep your home cooler with less effort.

Talk to Our Durham Air Conditioning Pros Today

Interested in learning more about how you can use your air conditioner more efficiently? Need help with any type of air conditioning, heating, or plumbing issue? JD Service Now is here to help! We serve clients throughout Durham and the surrounding communities, including Apex, Cary, and Chapel Hill.

Call 919-383-7000 or contact us online to arrange your estimate with our Durham AC experts.