Summer weather in Tucson can be brutal. But you don’t have to choose between being comfortably cool and saving money on your utility expenses. We’ve assembled some tips to make it simple.
The top thing you can do to stay cool and maintain energy efficiency is by tending to your air conditioner. ENERGY STAR® recommends keeping your system operating reliably and efficiently, and Ambient Air can help. During an AC tune-up appointment, we’ll complete the following tasks noted by ENERGY STAR and more:
- Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors to make sure there’s safe operation of your system and the chance of a longer lifecycle for major components.
- Clean the air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils as required. Dirty coils require your system to work more often to do its job.
- Check system controls to be sure of proper and safe operation.
- Inspect refrigerant levels.
- Clean and adjust blower components to ensure proper system airflow.
Another crucial piece to remaining cool is consistently checking your air conditioner’s air filter. A dirty filter can increase energy bills and damage your equipment, leading to premature failure. Our Ambient Air professionals will inspect these for you at your tune-up appointment, but you’ll want to check the manufacturer’s recommendations to make your own schedule to switch them out.
Here are a few other tips to keep your home comfy and energy-efficient:
- Check thermostat settings to ensure your air conditioner keeps you comfy when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
- If you find yourself cool at night, you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Let the night air cool your house for you! In the morning, shut your windows and window coverings to retain the cool air and block the sun’s heat.
- Utilize fans. An ENERGY-STAR ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat a little higher than you regularly would without noting any changes in your comfort level.
- Another style of fan people seem to forget about when they’re working to keep cool is their bathroom ventilation fan. Be sure to run yours when you shower as well as 20 minutes or longer after you’re done to take care of the heat and humidity from your home.
- Avoid leaving lights on and running many appliances on the hottest days. Obviously, your stovetop and oven are adding heat into your home, but even routine activities like watching TV, working on the computer, and drying or curling your hair can boost the heat in your home.
If you’d like more ideas on how to keep your home cool and energy efficient this summer, give Ambient Air at call at 520-357-4912 or request an appointment with us online.