7 Cost-Saving Tips to Run Your AC Effectively

Air conditioning is a mixed blessing.

On one hand, it’s an absolute life-saver. A good-quality AC unit makes everything bearable when the hot summer months hit and it feels like an oven outside.

But, if you don’t know how to use air conditioners effectively, that cool air comes at a very literal cost. On average, air-con sets people in the US back a whopping $29 billion in total every year.

Forking out cash on big electricity bills is a real challenge for anybody in a tricky financial spot.

You can soon get stuck between a rock and a hard place. It can become a choice between personal comfort and personal finance. You can’t live with A/C and you can’t live without it!

Thankfully, there are numerous ways to cut down on the expense. With the right know-how, you can reap the rewards of a beautifully cool home without overspending on electricity.

Sound good?

Read on for 7 ways to use your AC while spending less.

Keep the Sun Out

See the sun up there in the sky?

Well, it’s made of fire, which makes it rather hot! In fact, you’ve got the sun to blame for the heat-induced suffering that goes on in summer.

As it shines onto and into your house, the property heats up. Keep the sun off and out, then, and your home will stay considerably cooler!

That, in turn, means there’s less need to have the A/C on full blast.

A wide array of tactics can help here. You could keep the curtains drawn, for example, or put up window tinting. A more significant step would be to paint your home’s exterior white, which would help reflect the sun back out into the environment.

Get New Filters

Air conditioning units get sent into overdrive in summer.

They’re being used non-stop to generate cool air in the home. It’s hard work on the part of the unit!

Give it a helping hand by changing the filters on a regular basis (once a month or so). Don’t, and the A/C will be unable to function as efficiently. It gets all clogged up, which makes cooling the air far harder.

To put it another way, cleaner filters make it easier to cool the air. The units no longer have to work as hard to do their job. They’ll waste less energy and save you money in the process.

Pay for a Regular Service

Want to know the best way to ensure your A/C is running properly?

Hire a professional to come and service it.

Regular maintenance and AC repair will ensure the unit continues to operate as intended. Any issues can be identified and resolved early too.

See it as an investment. Sure, you pay some money out upfront for the service.

But you avoid more serious and expensive problems down the line. Likewise, you benefit from a smooth-running A/C that’s far more efficient. This will save you more cash thanks to lower bill-payments.

The last thing you want is for the unit to break just before summer! Paying for regular services throughout the year will ensure that doesn’t happen.

Use Fewer Appliances

A/C units are often forced into battle against other household appliances.

Think about the oven.

Constant cooking releases oodles of heat into the house. The A/C has to step it up a notch if it’s going to accommodate that and sustain a level temperature in the home.

Of course, everything from the tumble dryer to the dishwasher generates heat too. That’s bad news for everybody!

You shoot yourself in the foot in the bid for low-cost cool air.

Strive to use your these appliances as little as possible. You could cook on the BBQ outside, for example, or time your use of the dryer for cooler times of day.

Uncover the HVAC

We know, we know:

Large HVAC units are a bit of an eye-sore.

As much effort as you put into your yard, there’s no hiding the giant mass of metal plastic outside the house. In an attempt to please the neighbors, many homeowners try and cover it up.

It’s not a good idea! Covering up the A/C unit is a recipe for driving up the electricity bill.

The HVAC is outside for a reason. It needs a steady airflow to operate properly. Covering it up disrupts the flow of air. It becomes harder for the unit to send cool air into your home and release hot air back out.

A better endeavor is to remove any detritus that’s blogging the unit! Keep it as clear as possible outside to help it do its job.

Install Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans can work in collaboration with your A/C unit.

Turn them both on at the same time and the fans disperse the cool air that’s being released by the AC. It’s a bit like have a cool breeze being sent around the room!

You’ll feel far cooler in less time.

The result? Your AC unit doesn’t have to work as hard to reduce the felt-temperature in the house. That, in turn, leads to a reduction in electricity and lower bill payments down the line.

Install a Smart Thermostat

Last but not least:

It might be time to install a smart thermostat.

These clever devices automatically regulate levels of heating/cooling throughout the day. They pick up on the temperature and adjust levels inside accordingly.

Linked up to the Wi-Fi, you can control them from your smartphone too. That ease of use makes most people more likely to alter their use of the AC throughout the day. They turn it on when they need it, and off when they don’t!

Exactly How to Use Air Conditioners Effectively

Air condition can feel like a gift from the heavens in the warmest months of the year.

Until that is, the electricity bill comes through in the post.

At that point, it can feel something of a curse! Thankfully, knowing how to use air conditioners effectively can give you the best of both worlds. You get a cool house for less money.