Climate control has become more convenient and important than ever before for Texans. While people might sweat a little when it gets hot, that kind of discomfort is nothing compared to losing valuable time and work when electronics like computers get damaged by heat and humidity.
That’s why cool environments are especially critical during summer, and we’ve got some tricks you can implement at work or at home to make sure that the energy you pay doesn’t make your monthly bills balloon.
Upgrade to a Modern Thermostat
Older homes and buildings may have “ancient” thermostats from the 20th century that are still working just fine.
However, just because they work, doesn’t mean that they’re not costing you money. Like old HVAC systems, old thermostats are not as efficient as newer models.
For example, not only are modern thermostats more precise with temperature measurement, they are programmable so you can schedule temperature changes.
During the school year, when kids are out, and parents are at work, you don’t need to keep the AC to run at full blast, so you can program the HVAC to go on minimal power, and only kick in to keep things cooler 20-30 minutes before people start returning home. High end “smart” thermostats even analyze home activity, and then adjust temperatures based on living habits. They can even be controlled by your phone!
Get Window Dressing
Windows don’t just let in light; they let in heat as well. While that can actually help your furnace during winter months, in the summer, hot air gets hotter still in rooms with windows. That forces your AC to work even harder fighting the rising the temperatures.
If you get drapes, curtains or blinds installed, you can help beautify these rooms. More importantly, however, is putting these dressings into action during the brightest, hottest parts of the day. They can keep the heat out and help your air conditioner to keep things cooler in the home. Blunting the effects of direct sunlight keeps problem rooms in your home from getting too hot for too long.
Seal Leaks in Your Ducts
Air ducts running throughout a home are the most common form of climate control. Both furnaces and air conditioners can use this centralized system, but it’s still essentially acting like plumbing in your home, only it carries air, not water.
Just like your plumbing, your ducts can, through various circumstances, experience structural defects that may result in leaks. It doesn’t seem like much at first, since it’s not leaking water, but this can still cause your energy bills to rise.
If you ignore it too long, it can stop being a minor leak and turn into something much more serious and expensive to deal with. By hiring an expert to come in and conduct periodic health checks on your HVAC, you can find leaks in your ducts, seal them, and even get your ducts cleaned so you can enjoy higher efficiency and a longer lifespan for your HVAC system.
You can’t avoid paying for climate control bills in Spring, TX. But by paying a bit of attention to where your energy is going, and how it’s being used, you can make sure you’re getting efficient usage and operation out of your HVAC system, rather than wasting some of that money on easily preventable low efficiency issues.
