Easy Ways To Cut Air Conditioning Energy Costs

It’s hard to imagine spending an entire summer without air conditioning. The heat can affect not only our physical well-being but also our mental disposition. It is simply harder to work and think in a sub-optimal environment. Yet rising air conditioning costs make it difficult to justify the expense.

The solution? Reduce consumption to decrease energy bills. Here are a few ideas on how to go about this:  

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Our need for cooling varies throughout the day. We need more of it while the sun is up compared to the nighttime. We require even less as we sleep since being largely stationary makes it easier to cool to bodies. When we go to work and the children attend school, we can simply turn off the system until it’s time to go back home. All of these different scenarios can be entered into a programmable thermostat to make the shifts in temperature automatic. Doing so ensures that there is never a wasted minute of air conditioning, allowing us to save significant amounts every month.

Use Curtains to Block the Sun

We learned in physics class that dark colors attract light and heat while lighter colors reflect them. This principle can be applied inside the home to reduce the heat inside a room during the summer. Use light-colored curtains to block off windows, especially on the south side which receives a lot of sun. This should alleviate the warmth in house and help the A/C cool things down a little faster. The opposite can be done during the winter. Dark curtains may be placed on windows specifically to attract sunlight and increase natural heating.

Perform Scheduled Maintenance

Homeowners should clean up the unit on a weekly basis to prevent the build-up of dirt and dust. This should be done for both the indoor and outdoor components to retain high efficiency. Meanwhile, the filters should be replaced every month or as suggested by the manufacturer. Having professionals perform routine maintenance semi-annually is a tremendous help in keeping things running smoothly and preventing breakdowns.

Useful Advice For Those Interested In Solar Energy

The sun shines every day, warming us and providing us with light. Without the sun, we wouldn’t exist. That said, we can also use the sun to power all the things which run on electricity we use daily. This article will show you how to start using solar energy in your life.

If you’re thinking about installing solar panels to generate your own electricity, make sure that the roof you’ll be installing them on gets plenty of good sunlight. Good sunlight occurs between 9am and 3pm. You’ll generate the most electricity if your roof receives full, exposed sunlight between those hours every day.

As far as photo-voltaic panels go, two types exist. The cheapest are poly-crystalline, but mono-crystalline are more efficient. Invest in the best system you can afford.

Position solar panels on the east or west side of your home or business. Since the sun travels from east to west throughout the day, placing solar panels on areas of your roof that face north or south is a waste. You’ll get much better energy returns by following the same path as the sun.

After your solar panels are installed, be sure to check your inverter on a regular basis. It is a good thing if you see a green light that is not blinking. Erratic blinking or no light may signal a malfunction. Solar energy systems can be very complex, and too difficult to work on for the average homeowner. If you purchased a warranty with a company, a visit from them ought to be free.

With this knowledge in hand, you should be prepared to start making use of solar energy throughout your life. Powering your toaster or your machinery at work will be simple once you harness the sun’s energy. Make use of the tips you’ve read here and you should be up and running in no time.