Air Conditioning

Set the fan on your central air conditioner to “on” rather than “auto.” This will circulate air continuously, keeping the temperature more even throughout the house and aiding in dehumidification.

Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use.

If your house is for sale in summer, run the air conditioner. If it’s 90 degrees inside, buyers will pay more attention to the temperature than to the attractive features of the house.

Install window air conditioners snugly. Insulate spaces around air conditioners for a tighter fit. An air conditioner with a tight fit around the windows or wall openings will make less noise and allow less hot air in from the outside. Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation. Insulation around ducts prevents cool air from leaking and keeps it directed through the vents.

Make sure your home is properly insulated. This will help you to conserve electricity and reduce your home’s power demands for air conditioning.

Weather-strip doors and windowsills to keep cool air inside, allowing the inside temperature to stay cooler longer.

During a drought, conserve water by placing a brick, or another large solid object, in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used in flushing.

Consider keeping storm windows installed throughout the year. Storm windows can keep the heat out of a house in the summer the same way they keep the cold out in the winter Protect windows. Hang shades, draperies, awnings, or louvers on windows that receive morning or afternoon sun. Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat entering the house by as much as 80 percent.

If you have a fan installed to vent warm air out of your attic, use the fan to help keep your home cool.

Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.

Turn the air conditioner thermostat up to at least 78° or higher or use a programmable thermostat. Close doors to unused rooms. Turn air conditioners off when no one is home.

Plant trees or shrubs to shade air-conditioning units but not to block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.

Run your air conditioner for a few minutes in the spring, before you need it. If you wait until the first hot day to discover is isn’t working, you’ll find yourself on a waiting list, sweltering sometimes for days before an air conditioning specialist can come to fix it.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in 1997 the average house spent over $1300 in energy costs. 44% of those costs, or about $600, came from heating and cooling. Yet, by setting the thermostat down just one degree a home could, over an eight-hour period, reduce energy costs by 1%. Doesn’t sound like much? Look at the math: If you set the thermostat back by 10 degrees for the eight nighttime sleeping hours, and did this for a whole month you could lower your monthly bill by 10 percent. Do the same for the eight hours you’re at work and you’re looking at 20 percent. For the average home this could mean a $20 savings on the monthly heating costs with similar savings for the cooling season. A programmable thermostat can ensure those savings and pay for itself in one season.

Change the filters regularly. Dirty filters restrict air flow, reducing efficiency and worse case, can cause the evaporator to ice up. Disposable fiberglass filters should replaced. Electrostatic or electronic filters need to be washed regularly.