Your Complete Guide to Saving Money on Your Energy Bill
Winter tends to be the “money saving” season for residents of Florida since the weather becomes almost ideal for many people, especially tourists; not cold at all, but not too hot either.
This often means that some people enjoy their lowest energy bills of the year since nothing is running. But once summer returns, it means your AC system will be working hard to keep you cool. But you can do your part to keep those bills down by asking yourself a few questions about your household.
Have Your Ducts Been Inspected For Leaks?
Air ducts are just very large, thin pipes that, instead of carrying liquid like your plumbing, carry gas, in this case, chilled air. If your ducts have never been inspected to see how they are holding up, now is a good time to get that work done.
A leaking pipe means cool air is escaping, and not getting into the rooms it’s meant to. That’s a drop in efficiency that shows up with higher bills are your AC works more than it needs to.
More importantly, however, ignoring a leak won’t make it go away, and will often make the problem worse and more expensive when it gets too big to ignore. Have an expert do a checkup of your HVAC and ducts to clean up, maintain and repair small problems like leaks before they get big.
How Old Is Your Thermostat?
If the answer to this question is that your thermostat comes from the last century, and, more surprisingly, doesn’t even have a digital interface, think about an upgrade. Older thermostats, even when they still work fine, are inefficient compared to modern products.
New thermostats, in addition to being more precise about temperature measurement, do a lot more than just turn on and off. Low-end thermostats can be programmed to run at specific temperatures during certain parts of the day.
This includes operating minimally during weekdays of the school year when no one may be home, only to automatically start cooling a few minutes before people return. Advanced “smart thermostats” can analyze living habits and automatically adjust temperatures based on this activity. They can even be operated by your smartphone.
Do You Have Curtains Or Drapes?
Your windows don’t just admit light; they admit heat as well. Sunlight can amplify heat in a room, so when you have a hot summer’s day, with your AC working to keep the home cool, exposed windows in the afternoon are making that hot air even hotter. As a result, your AC needs to work harder and longer to counteract that.
If you have curtains, drapes, or blinds, these can make a big difference during the brightest, hottest parts of the summer day. Just bringing them down to blunt the heat helps your AC to keep the climate under control. Conversely, in the winter, if you’d like things a little warmer, those same windows letting sunlight in can also help to warm your room up, so it works both ways!
Everyone enjoys the convenience and lifestyle that comes from living in Melbourne, FL. Just make sure that while you’re enjoying your life, you're not wasteful about your AC. Keeping your home cool costs money, and you’ll pay more every month than you need to if you’re careless.