Summers in New Jersey can be painful for both you and your wallet. Fortunately, you can compromise comfort and cost to prevent skyrocketing summer bills. This article will discuss five easy ways to save money on electricity bills and cool down on AC costs without being left to fend yourself in the sweltering heat.
Money Saving Tips for the Summer
1. Remember Insulation Basics
As a general rule, start by ensuring that your home is well insulated to keep your cold air inside, and the hot air outside. Insulation can take the form of padded walls or simply installing a thick curtain to cover large windows. Search your home for small air spills that leak cold air outside, which could be forcing your AC unit to work harder.
2. Keep Cool, but Not Too Cool
Here’s a tip: AC units are designed to change the internal temperature by about 20 degrees. Keep your home at about 78 degrees. This is the average comfortable setting to set your thermostat without overloading it, nor letting your home get too warm. A thermostat setting of 78 degrees is also ideal for another reason: if you allow your home to get uncomfortably warm, your AC unit will be forced to work harder to lower the temperature.
3. Run the Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are an inexpensive way to alleviate some of the load on your AC’s work while allowing for maximum air circulation. Your blades should rotate counter-clockwise to move the air correctly, forcing hot air to move up and cold air to move down. Here’s a quick tip to remember the directions that the blades should turn: High temperatures – the leading edge of the blades will point up (counter clockwise). Low temperatures – the leading edge of the blades will point down (clockwise).
4. Time Your Activities Wisely
Major appliances, like the oven, stove, and drying machine, create heat inside of your home. Plan your chores accordingly to avoid forcing your AC to do extra work. An article on Energy.gov suggests cooking meals and doing laundry during the cooler times of the day, like before 10:00 AM or around dusk. Not only will you feel more comfortable at home, you’ll notice a lower energy bill as well.
5. Schedule Routine AC Maintenance
Contact your local HVAC provider in Mercer County to visit your home to inspect your AC unit. This is a hands-free way to avoid costly repairs in the dead of summer. Going without proper cooling during the summer can be a health hazard, and you can avoid it entirely by scheduling regular maintenance. The HVAC technician can take measures like changing your air filters or cleaning your unit. These small, but important, steps can ensure a lower electric bill and a fully functioning AC unit when you really need it.
Save Money on Summer Bills with PFO
Don’t forget: a well maintained AC unit will survive even the toughest of New Jersey summers without breaking the bank. It’s not too late to get your filters changed or your entire unit inspected. Contact the Princeton Fuel Oil Headquarters in Mercer County for more information about saving money on your summer electric bills. We are a NATE certified HVAC company who will diagnose your problem and perform repairs for long lasting results. Contact us today to schedule a service visit with a NATE-certified AC technician.