Energy Savings while Running an Air Conditioner

If you live in most of the US, during the summer months, you will likely want to have an air conditioner on for your own comfort and well-being. Some people may need air conditioning for medical reasons as well. One concern people have with air conditioning is the amount of money it costs and the total energy they will use. There are many ways, however, to have energy savings while using air conditioning and save energy in your home.

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1. Set Your Thermostat and Keep it There!

In order to get the most energy saving effects out of your air conditioning unit, you will want to make sure the thermostat is set between 68 and 78 degrees F. If it is set above or below those temperatures, it is entirely inefficient.

Once you have found the ideal temperature for your home, do not adjust it. When you adjust the temperature, it will again make your unit less efficient. Remember this: each degree you go down on the thermostat saves you money!

2. Keep Your Curtains Closed

One excellent way to keep air conditioner costs low is to have a low temperature in the home in the first place! The best way to keep your home cool is to keep your curtains or blinds closed. When the sun shines through the glass of your windows, it has a greenhouse effect, causing the temperature inside to rise by several degrees. If the temperature inside your home is high, you will want your air conditioner higher. However, that will cause it to use more energy, leading to higher costs!

3. Use Fans

If you live in an area that doesn’t get extremely hot or only gets hot for a few weeks, you may want to consider installing ceiling fans instead of an air conditioning unit. The fans themselves will circulate the air in your home making it feel cooler. It is much cheaper to operate fans than using an air conditioner and they use much less energy.

4. Dehumidify Your Home

Another great way to keep air conditioning costs down is to purchase a dehumidifier. When the humidity in your home is high, it will make it feel a lot warmer than it is. If you live in an area that has high temps and high humidity, you will know exactly what this feels like.

Using a dehumidifier with fans may even eliminate the need for air conditioning all together.

5. Don’t do Chores!

It sounds great to not do chores, but unfortunately they will need to get done at some point. You can keep your air conditioner on a higher temperature, saving energy, by not doing chores at certain times of the day.

A great example would be not cooking or baking during the hottest part of the day. Better yet, cook outside on a grill! Another example would be to save doing laundry and running the dish washer until later in the evening or early morning when the temperature is naturally lower.

Using all of these tips or even a few of the tips can lower your energy bills in the warm summer months and literally save you $100’s in some cases. You may find you don’t need an air conditioner at all, depending on where you live.