Save Money and Energy with Alex's HVAC Tips
It’s getting hot here in San Antonio. If you’ve been cranking your AC, you might be concerned about your monthly energy bill. Even if you are not normally “energy conscious” most of the year, the brutal days of summer can highlight your HVAC problems. Here are some smart (but not necessarily intuitive) strategies for reducing air conditioning costs.
1. First of all, don’t be so quick to diss fans.
As you probably remember from physics class, hot air rises. This means that if you have multiple stories in your home, your higher floors (particularly the attic) are going get pretty hot. Use fans to blow out that excess heat, and give your air conditioning some time off. On really hot days, you may even use both to circulate the cool air.
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2. Clean out your filters.
First of all, dirty filters are not just unpleasant to look at, but they will also degrade the efficiency of your AC and also create allergy related problems, particularly for kids who are sensitive to dust and pollen. Filters are a confusing topic for customers and technician's alike within the industry, use a filter that's to low (cheap) of a "MERV or FPR" rating and you will let all the debris and allergens into your system, use to high (expensive) of a "MERV or FPR" rated filter you will will suffocate your system and run the rink of premature damage. Good rule of thumb is MERV/FPR 8 for an older system and MERV/FPR 11 for a newer well preforming system.
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3. Keep Outdoor Unit Clean
The outdoor unit should be clear of debris, leaves and shrubbery. The unit needs a free flow of air over the coil. Keep the coil clean with periodic wash-downs and avoid anything that restricts airflow.
4. Let The Thermostat Do Its Job
Your system will perform more efficiently when you let the thermostat control it. Continually adjusting the temperature can be very inefficient. Set the thermostat at a comfortable level and leave it there.
Alex is your choice for efficient and affordable HVAC service in Houston, TX and surrounding cities. Contact us today to learn more about how we can enhance comfort in your home or office.
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