July 15, 2022
Energy Efficient Tips in San Antonio, TX

When you start running your air conditioning system during the summer, you’ll be reminded really quickly how it changes your energy bill. Fortunately, there are many different ways to help enhance the efficiency of your air conditioning system to help lower your energy bills throughout the summer months.

Keep Your AC Filter Clean

Probably one of the biggest culprits of reducing air conditioner energy efficiency is a clogged air filter. Air conditioning systems have air filters that are responsible for removing unwanted airborne debris like dust. However, this filter needs to be changed on a regular basis in order to allow it to be effective. Whenever the filter becomes clogged with debris, it will make your air conditioning system work much harder to push air through it.

It’s a good rule of thumb to check your AC filter every couple of weeks during the summer months. You want to hold the filter up to a light. If you can’t see through the filter, then it’s time to replace it. You should always have multiple AC filters ready to go so that you can replace them when necessary. It’s important to note that homes that have multiple pets or a large number of residents are likely going to need to change the AC filter more often than homes with no pets and just a couple of people.

Use a Smart Thermostat

A great way to help increase the efficiency of your air conditioning system is to install a smart thermostat. These thermostats allow you to program in specific settings for your home’s air conditioning system for every day and hour of the week. This allows you to program in more efficient settings. For example, you’ll want to set the temperature during the daytime hours when no one is at home higher than the desired temperature for when your family is at home in the evening.

By increasing the temperature in the daytime, your air conditioning system won’t run as much as if you were to just leave it at one temperature throughout the entire day. When you invest in a smart thermostat, you can control it easily from your smartphone, and it will provide you with recommended settings that can help to increase the efficiency of your air conditioning system.

Keep Your Outdoor Condenser Unit Debris-Free

Another major killer of efficiency for your air conditioning system is a condenser unit that is blocked in by debris. Your condenser unit sits outside of your home and has various grates that allow heat from the inside of your home to disperse into the air outside. Due to the natural weather elements, it’s not uncommon for unwanted debris like leaves and twigs to get blown up against your condenser unit.

When this happens, the debris will block the grates. This causes your air conditioning system to work harder to try and force the hot air out of the grates and into the outdoors. You should make a regular habit of checking your outdoor condenser unit every couple of weeks and after every major storm to ensure that it’s clear of debris. Also, you want to make sure that you don’t have any shrubs or other objects within a three-foot radius of the condenser unit. It’s important that the unit has this open space in order to breathe and work efficiently.

Clear Out Your Vents

If you have a ducted air conditioning system, then you have vents in each room of your home. These vents are responsible for sucking in warm air and blowing out cold air. It’s important that every one of these vents remains open and clear from objects like furniture and plants. You should take a few moments and walk around your home each month to ensure that all of the vents are clean and clear. Simply removing an object from one or more of your vents will allow your air conditioning system to work more efficiently.

Keep the Sunlight Out

If you’ve ever sat next to a window on a hot sunny day, then you know that sunlight can drastically heat up the inside of your home. One of the best ways to combat this temperature increase is to simply block the sunlight out. You can do this by using curtains or blinds throughout the daytime. You may even want to invest in UV-blocking windows as a long-term solution to keep the sunlight out.

Weatherize Your Home

If you haven’t weatherized your home within the last five years, then it’s time to do so. All the cold air that your air conditioning system produces can seep outside through unwanted gaps in your walls. The most common spaces for these gaps to develop are near your windows and doors. If you feel warm air around the door or window seal, then you’ll want to install a weatherproofing product like weatherstripping. This will help to keep the warm air out of your home and allow the cold air to stay inside. When cold air can stay inside, it will allow your air conditioning system to run less often to adequately cool your home.

Be Mindful of Your Thermostat Placement

One relatively simple way to enhance the efficiency of your air conditioning system is by making sure that your thermostat is placed in a proper position. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to unintentionally place their thermostats near heat-producing appliances or in direct sunlight. When this happens, your thermostat believes that the inside temperature of your home is much warmer than it actually is. This causes your air conditioning system to continually kick on when it’s not necessary. By moving your thermostat to a location free from heat-producing appliances and windows, you can ensure that it’s only turning on when it needs to.

Insulate Your Ductwork

If you have a ducted air conditioning system, then you’re relying on that ductwork to deliver all the cold air that your air conditioning system produces. Unfortunately, your ductwork expands and contracts over time and can develop holes and leaks. These unwanted defects allow warm air to seep into the ductwork and reduce the amount of cold air that makes it to the rooms in your home.

A great way to help increase the efficiency of your air conditioning system is to insulate your ductwork. You can do this in a couple of ways. First, you can have your ductwork sealed by a professional. Second, you can insulate your exposed ductwork, such as in your basement. Simply wrapping the ductwork in insulation will help to keep the cold air in.

Professional AC Services

Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating offers professional air conditioning services for the entire San Antonio, TX community. We can also assist with all of your heating, air duct cleaning, dehumidifier, humidifier, indoor air quality, new construction, VRF system, ductless, and duct repair needs. Contact us today to get the professional assistance that you need with your home.

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