People in the Houston area rely heavily upon their air conditioning to beat the heat. Many people implement summer energy savings plans in order to reduce their utility costs. Unfortunately, many common summer energy savings steps may actually increase your home’s energy use.
Gain control of your summer energy savings by avoiding these common myths:
Myth 1 – Set The Temperature Low
Setting the temperature on your air conditioner lower than where you want it does not cool your home faster. The vast majority of HVAC systems use a single-speed air handler. This means that the home is cooled at the same rate no matter what the temperature setting. Setting the temperature lower can result in additional costs as the system continues to cool the home to the lowered temperature, stressing equipment at the same time.
Myth 2 – Turn Off the Air Conditioner
While allowing your system to run all day is not energy efficient, simply turning off the air conditioner when you leave home on a hot day is not the answer. Not only does the system use a significant amount of energy to cool a hot home, you will also be uncomfortable until the home is cooled, which could take a while after an excessively hot day. A programmable thermostat addresses both issues and efficiently cools the home prior to your scheduled return.
Myth 3 – Ceiling Fans Provide Cool Air
Ceiling fans provide a cooling wind-chill effect for room occupants feeling the air flow. However, they don’t actually cool the air, and there’s no benefit to keeping the fan operating after you leave the room.
Myth 4 – Close Vents To Increase Efficiency
Closing air vents can have a negative effect on your HVAC system. Your A/C hopefully has been designed to fit your home’s capacity. When rooms are closed off, the same amount of air is produced but it has nowhere to go. Because air is not moving as intended, the air conditioner may cycle more frequently, wasting energy and causing wear on the system.
Myth 5 – Air Conditioners Are The Only Relief
Other ways to keep cool during summer months include cooling off in a yard pool, sleeping on damp sheets, and retreating to lower levels of your home.
For additional information on energy saving techniques, please contact us at ACS Absolute Comfort today.
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