Why You Shouldn't Put off Your Annual AC Inspection

If you love saving money and living a life that is frugal, you might wonder what you can do this summer to control the costs you spend on cooling your home. One option is to avoid using your central AC system, but this option can make life unbearable when you are at home. Instead of giving up your AC completely, you might be able to save money by following these simple tips.

Ways to Control Heat From Windows

According to Bank Rate, most of the heat that gets inside your home in the summer comes in through your windows. Learning how to use your windows to your advantage could be beneficial when it comes to saving money on cooling costs. Here are some tips to help you use your windows to help you limit the amount of heat that enters through them:

• Keep your windows open when there is a cool breeze – Anytime you notice that it is slightly cooler outside, open up your windows and let the breeze come through. This is often something that only helps at nighttime when the sun sets, but there might be days when it is cooler outside than normal when you can do this.
• Keep your window treatments closed – While having the sun shine through your windows is something you might like, allowing this will only make your house feel hotter. If you shut all window treatments during the day when the sun is shining in, you can keep a lot of the heat outside. When doing this, make sure your windows are shut and locked too. Keep in mind that the sun moves, and as it does, you could open up any window treatments that the sun is not directly exposed to.
• Place window film on your windows – According to Green Living, applying low-emissivity film to your windows could help you block out 60% of the UV rays that normally enter through. The film allows light to pass through, but it blocks heat and this could help you keep your house cooler while the curtains are open.
• Use a fan – If you place a fan facing outwards in one window and open up another, the window without the fan might begin pulling in a breeze. Running a fan is more economical than running the AC system, and this could be helpful in keeping the air moving in your house.

These are some of the ways you could keep your house cooler in the summer, but there are other ways too.

Ways that Involve Your Central AC System

Here are three additional things you can do that will help you reduce the costs of operating your AC system this summer:

1. Clean the filter on your system – When the filter on your AC system gets dirty, the system will have to work harder to cool off your house. By keeping the air filter clean, you will place less stress on your system, and you may notice a difference in your utility bills.
2. Maintain the system – At the start of each summer, hire an HVAC company to clean ad service your system. This will ensure that all parts are working properly and will help the system operate more effectively.
3. Program the thermostat – Finally, if you learn how to program your thermostat properly, you might be able to reduce your cooling costs by 30%. This generally involves setting the thermostat so that the system shuts off when no one is home and turns back on just before you return home from work.

If you want to save money on your cooling costs, you will need to take steps like these to cut back on the frequency of your system usage. These tips can help you do that, and you can also hire an HVAC company to come to your home to see what other options you have for cutting your energy bills. To find an HVAC company near you, check out a site like http://www.capefearair.com.