The dog days of summer are upon us, which means you’re probably suffering from high air conditioning costs in the greater Cleveland area. Here are five tips to drive them back down again without sacrificing comfort.

  1. Keep air flowing properly to the outdoor unit. This portion of your air conditioning system contains a condensing coil, which requires good airflow to properly expel heat outside. Trim foliage back to provide at least two feet of clearance on all sides and five feet of clearance above the unit to help improve efficiency.
  2. Operate the air conditioner efficiently. Close all windows and doors when the air conditioner is running. Set the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher and use fans to circulate air and maintain comfort in occupied rooms. Install a programmable thermostat so you can set the temperature higher when you’re away.
  3. Reduce solar heat gain. Direct sunlight streaming through unshaded windows can account for more than 20 percent of your cooling bill. Draw the curtains or install awnings to keep direct sunlight out. Planting trees on the south and west sides of your home can also keep the sun’s rays from reaching the inside.
  4. Reduce interior heat gain. Avoid heat-producing activities such as baking, cooking, showering and running the dishwasher or dryer in the mid-day hours. Turn off electronics that generate heat when not in use. Use the sleep setting on your computer so it doesn’t add to interior heat gain and energy consumption when you’re not using it.
  5. Schedule regular maintenance. Many inspections completed by a professional technician during preventative maintenance counter high air conditioning costs. These include cleaning the condenser and evaporator coils, lubricating moving parts, replacing the air filter and checking the refrigerant charge.

For more information about driving high air conditioning costs back down again, or tips on other heating and cooling topics, please contact Stack Heating & Cooling today. We have served the greater Cleveland area since 1976.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about lowering air conditioning costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stack Heating services Cleveland, Ohio and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

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