We may still be in the midst of spring, but don’t be fooled–summer is coming. And when the heatwave arrives, you’ll be glad you have powerful air conditioning in Coeur d’Alene, ID to keep your home cool and livable. The only catch here is that you might be worried about the cooling bills this season.
Even with great maintenance and upkeep, you might be noticing that your energy bills are higher than you’d like. Maybe they aren’t spiking but they are simply a bit more expensive than in previous years. This is likely due to something hindering your system’s efficiency.
We can help. We’re providing some helpful tips that will ensure you get the best “bang for your buck” from your air conditioner this summer. And, if those energy bills continue to rise, we’re also here to help with maintenance, repairs, and more to get things back to normal again.
Tips to Help You Keep Cool Without a High Cost
Employ some of these best practices this summer to stay cool at a lower cost:
- Keep doors and windows closed: The fresh air might be nice first thing in the morning, but once things start to heat up, close those doors and windows. Keeping the warm air out of the house in the first place makes the job your AC has to do much easier.
- Check for air leaks in the home: When you go to make sure your doors and windows are closed, take a moment to check them and see if they have air leaks. Seals around doors and windows wear down or crack over time, which will let hot air in and cold air out–the opposite of what you want in the summer.
- Use blinds and curtains to keep out sunlight: Natural light is great for our health (as long as we aren’t getting burnt) but it is going to heat things up inside your house. As the sun rises, use your blinds and curtains to keep that sunlight and warmth to a minimum. It will help keep the temperature manageable.
- Opt for cold cuts for dinner: Using the stove and eating hot food is going to make things, well, hotter. We are all for the occasional summertime BBQ, but we’d encourage you to choose some cool or cold dinner options to help keep the house comfortable on hot nights. Nothing wrong with cold cuts and salad now and then.
- Check your air filter: The air filter for your AC unit needs to be changed or cleaned (if you have a reusable one) every one to three months. Make sure to stay on this! An air filter change can make a huge difference in the effectiveness and efficiency of your system. Plus, it’s a very easy fix.
Hopefully using some of these tips will help you keep your home a bit cooler this summer and, as a result, help keep your energy bills a bit more affordable. However, if something with your energy usage still isn’t right, make sure you have one of our helpful technicians come by to check your system out.
ACI Northwest is here to help with your home comfort needs or concerns. Please do not hesitate to contact us for helpful advice.