Summer weather in the Rio Grande Valley can be a bear. But you don’t have to pick between being comfortably cool and saving money on your utility bills. We’ve put together some tips to make it easy.
The best thing you can do to stay cool and sustain energy efficiency is by tending to your air conditioner. ENERGY STAR® says keeping your system working dependably and efficiently, and Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. can help. During an AC tune-up appointment, we’ll complete the following tasks recommended 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 life for major components.
- Clean the air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils as need be. Dirty coils require your system to run more often to do its job.
- Check system controls to be sure of correct and safe operation.
- Check refrigerant levels.
- Clean and adjust blower components to be sure of proper system airflow.
Another crucial piece to keeping cool is consistently checking your air conditioner’s air filter. A dirty filter could increase energy costs and damage your equipment, which could lead to untimely failure. Our Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. experts will check these for you at your tune-up appointment, but you’ll want to take a look at the manufacturer’s recommendations to set up your own schedule to change them out.
Here are some other tips to keep your home comfy and energy-efficient:
- Look at thermostat settings to be sure your air conditioner keeps you cool when you are home and saves energy while you are not around.
- If it is cool at night, you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Let the crisp air cool your place for you! In the morning, shut your windows and window coverings to trap the cool air and block the sun’s heat.
- Utilize fans. An ENERGY-STAR ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat a tad higher than you normally would without noting any changes in your comfort level.
- Another type of fan people seem to forget about when they’re trying to keep cool is their bathroom ventilation fan. Make certain to run yours when you shower as well as 20 minutes or longer after you’re done to get rid of the heat and humidity from your bathroom.
- Try not to leave lights on and running many appliances on the hottest days. Obviously, your stovetop and oven add heat into your home, but even normal activities like watching TV, working on the computer, and drying or curling your hair can increase the heat in your home.
If you’d like additional ideas on how to keep your home cool and energy efficient this summer, give Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. at call at 956-630-3522 or request an appointment with us online.