How to Cut Air Conditioning Costs and Lower Your Electric Bill

If you live in either Wake County or Franklin County, you know that you can’t get through the humid North Carolina summers comfortably without air conditioning. However, this doesn’t have to mean being burdened by high electric bills. Here’s how you can cut air conditioning costs and lower your electric bill without suffering through the summer heat.

Have Your Home Properly Insulated

Insulation helps keep your home cooler and will go a long way in terms of keeping your electric bill down. When a home isn’t properly sealed and insulated, it reduces the efficiency of an air conditioner. Drafty spots mean you lose cool air and your HVAC system has to work harder to cool your home. Have an HVAC contractor conduct an energy audit that will identify leaks and drafts in your home.

Install Ceiling Fans

p>Ceiling fans used in conjunction with an air conditioner can help cool your home at a lower cost. A ceiling fan helps to easily and quickly disperse cool air through the home, and this eases the burden on the air conditioner.

Reduce Sunlight

Sunlight streaming into your home raises the indoor temperature significantly. A simple way to keep your home cooler is to draw the drapes and blinds. Alternatively, plant trees in front of windows for some shade. When your house is naturally cooler from reduced sunlight, you can raise the temperature of the air conditioner slightly. This will translate into energy savings.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Many homeowners balk at the idea of spending money to maintain their HVAC system. However, regular HVAC maintenance keeps the system running at an optimal level and can help you avoid costly repairs in the future. An inefficient HVAC system is less energy efficient and is one of the main reasons electricity costs start to soar.

If you’ve tried implementing some cost-saving methods to cut air conditioning costs but to no avail, it could mean that it’s time to replace your air conditioner. At Alford Mechanical Heating and Air Conditioning, we fit central HVAC systems, heat pumps, and ductless air conditioners. Call us at 919-246-5265 to discuss the right solution for your Franklinton, NC home.

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