Tag: summer

Spend Less While Staying Cool This Summer

To stay cool during a Texas summer, homeowners must keep their air conditioners running. However, generating this cool air can cause energy bills to rise. This can leave homeowners torn between trying to stay comfortable and keeping their utility bills affordable. 

Fortunately, AC contractors have solutions for how homeowners can accomplish both. This blog will share ways for homeowners to reduce their cooling costs without sacrificing home comfort, including installing programmable thermostats, adding weatherstripping around drafty areas, and better utilizing their ceiling fans. 

Install a Programmable or Smart Thermostat

One tip AC technicians recommend for homeowners trying to reduce cooling costs is to install Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats like smart thermostats or programmable ones to replace their old, non-programmable thermostats. These devices give residents more control over their indoor climate than older models and can come with many energy-saving features. 

One of the biggest advantages these digital thermostats provide is allowing residents to set different temperature settings for different times of the day – depending on when residents are home and when they are away. This means households aren’t throwing money away, keeping the house at an ideal temperature when the family is on vacation, at work, or otherwise away from home. Because these thermostats can be controlled from a mobile phone app, residents can fix the temperature setting before returning home for a comfortable temperature when they return. Smart thermostats also let residents save on their energy bills with additional features like geofencing and learning temperature preferences to make automatic adjustments to save energy and money when away. 

Install Weatherstripping

Homeowners’ cooling bills can rise if drafts come into the home around doors and windows. The cool air produced by the air conditioner can escape through these gaps, forcing the air conditioner to overwork to keep the house cool and raising energy costs. Hot air from outside can also seep in through these spaces, adding more heat to the inside of the house. 

Technicians recommend adding weatherstripping around doors and windows to prevent these drafts. This easy-to-install solution comes in many different materials and helps keep the cool, air-conditioned air inside the house and the hot air outside, saving energy and money. 

Use the Ceiling Fans More

Another way to help save on cooling costs is to raise the temperature on the thermostat. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, raising or lowering the thermostat by 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit for just 8 hours a day, depending on the season and temperature outside, can save homeowners 10 percent on their heating and cooling. But how can homeowners do this without sacrificing any comfort? 

Running the air conditioner requires a lot of energy – much more than operating ceiling fans. Ceiling fans can help people stay cool and comfortable when the AC is set to save money. The ceiling fan direction should be set counterclockwise in the summer to help people feel cooler. This can allow residents to turn their air conditioners down and let the ceiling fans provide additional comfort to conserve energy and save on cooling costs. 

About Triple A Air Conditioning & Heating

Triple A Air Conditioning & Heating is a local, family-owned company serving Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas. They provide straightforward pricing, free estimates, and a membership plan. Call them today for thermostat installation in Corpus Christi, TX.

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