December 28, 2019
One of the top 3 resolutions is “Spend less, save more.” Sadly, only 8% of people successfully achieved this goal.
Why?
Because their goals are too complex! According to Psychology Today, “To give your resolutions a chance at success, make a plan and keep it simple, doable, and as detailed as possible.”
So, in this article, we want to give you a stupid simple way to save money in 2020: Lower your air conditioning bills.
Think about it: You use your AC almost year round in Florida. And air conditioning makes up a sizable amount of your total energy bill—28% according to U.S Energy Administration (EIA).
So, to lower your air conditioning bills year round, do these 3 super simple things:
If you install and properly use a programmable thermostat, you can save up to $180 a year, according to ENERGY STAR.
Programmable thermostats save you money by automatically turning the temperature setting up or down to energy-efficient settings at different times of the day.
For example, let’s say it’s summer and you're going to work. Your programmable thermostat can turn the temperature setting up so your air conditioner works less.
And then, before you get home, it will turn the temperature down, so you can come home to comfort.
Not sure you can install a programmable thermostat yourself? Contact Cool Today to install a programmable thermostat for you.
You know those air vents with the little levers? You might close some of them thinking it’ll save you money—but the opposite is true.
Closing air vents increases air pressure in your duct system, creating air leaks in the duct system (pictured below). That means closing air vents is basically like sending cool air to your attic.
Not only that, but increased pressure can cause the blower (the fan pictured above) to work harder, increasing your energy bills as a result.
So, keep those air vents open, even in rooms you don’t use!
A dirty air filter is like a stuffy nose. When you have a stuffy nose, you have to work much harder to breathe.
Similarly, when your air conditioner filter gets dirty, your system’s blower has to work harder to pull in warm return air. This means your AC is using more energy than necessary, running up your energy bills as a result.
Do this: Check your air filter once a month and change it if it looks like the one on the right:
