Summer weather in Cottonwood & Prescott can be rough. But you don’t have to pick between being comfortably cool and saving money on your utility costs. We’ve compiled some tips to make it simple.
The best thing you can do to stay cool and ensure energy efficiency is by maintaining your air conditioner. ENERGY STAR® says keeping your system running dependably and efficiently, and Connolly Electric & Mechanical can make that simple. During an AC tune-up appointment, we’ll perform the following tasks recommended by ENERGY STAR and more:
- Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors to be sure there’s safe operation of your system and the possibility of a longer lifecycle for major components.
- Clean the air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils as needed. 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 assure accurate system airflow.
Another critical piece to keeping cool is routinely inspecting your air conditioner’s air filter. A dirty filter can raise energy costs and damage your equipment, which could lead to untimely failure. Our Connolly Electric & Mechanical pros will look at these for you at your tune-up appointment, but you’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to arrange your own schedule to switch them out.
Here are some other tips to keep your home cool and energy-efficient:
- Inspect thermostat settings to make sure your air conditioner keeps you cool when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
- If it is cool at night, you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Let nature cool your home for you! In the morning, shut your windows and window coverings to hold on to the cool air and block the sun’s heat.
- Use fans to your advantage. An ENERGY-STAR ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat a bit higher than you normally would without feeling any changes in your comfort level.
- Another type of fan people often forget about when they’re attempting 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 remove the heat and humidity from your house.
- Try not to leave lights on and running many appliances on the hottest days. Obviously, your stovetop and oven put 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 additional ideas on how to keep your home cool and energy efficient this summer, give Connolly Electric & Mechanical at call at 928-251-4327 or request an appointment with us online.