For many people, it usually comes in the mail once a year. It’s that dreaded feeling when the air conditioning charges kick in and the electric bill is through the roof. It’s never fun to get it.
So, how do you avoid that shockingly high charge? What can you do to get your electric bill down to a manageable level? Here are 8 practical and timely tips to take care of that pesky high price through air conditioning maintenance, effective timing, and practical energy saving tricks.
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Set the Timer
Most modern air conditioners come with the ability to set a timer on the activity. Try to plan out when you’ll need it, and when you won’t. We usually advise to plan out a schedule of the times when it’s most needed, like when you return home from work in the afternoon, and to set the timer to come on just before that. It’s incredibly wasteful to have the AC running while no one’s home.
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Close the Gaps
One of the most effective ways to get a lower bill is to seal the areas where the heat is leaking in. That means keeping doors closed and windows sealed properly to help keep the cool inside. If everything is shut, maybe it’s time to consider some sort of maintenance. Air conditioning works best in a sealed room with no leaks.
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Don’t Rely Solely on the Air Conditioning
To service your room effectively, we usually remind people to switch to their fan for better use of energy. A ceiling fan can use up to 10 times less energy to circulate air and cool the room than an AC.
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Plump Up the Insulation
Your attic is one of the most needed areas to help keep the room cool and comfortable. If it’s insulated, it doesn’t allow the heat to seep in or the cool to escape as well. It also insulates the house against being heated too much by the sun during the long summer months.
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Keep the Lights Off
We are constantly amazed at how many people forget this simple rule. When you’re not using a room, or if it can be avoided, turn the lights off. Even a small bulb can heat up a room and cause extra drag on the AC.
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Vary Your Appliance Usage
If you can, keep your appliances off during the day, like dishwashers, dryers, and washing machines. They too bring extra heat into the home.
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Schedule a Regular Air Conditioning Service
Keep on top of your air conditioning maintenance by planning a regular service. Air conditioning can break down over time, and it requires maintenance to run at full effectiveness. Plan it out before the hot season, and you’ll save cash each time.
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Replace the AC
A repair might not always be the option, so it could be time to replace the whole unit. The modern air conditioning units are much better at drawing power than older units are and could save you major breakdown and energy costs.
Your air conditioning is a service that when you look after it, it will look after you. Keep costs low by taking small steps today.
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Author Bio:
This article was provided by David Miller, independent content writer for Ideal Services.
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