How To Reduce Your Air Conditioner’s Energy Consumption?

Air conditioning units in the summer are the biggest energy consumers in homes or businesses. Having a properly sized well-maintained unit will help in reducing energy costs. Areas that are not well insulated will add to the energy bill. Improperly sealed windows and doors let in humidity causing the unit to run more.

Home and business owners should change the air conditioning filters at least once every 30 days. Clogged filters make the units work harder and reduce the cooling efficiency. The majority of radiant heat gain in a home is through the roof. Properly insulated attics will prevent radiant heat from being conducted into the home. Have the unit serviced every season. Insure all ductwork is properly insulated. Cooled air will warm up from the air surrounding the ductwork.

A/C unit has seasonal energy efficiency ratings or a SEER number ranging from 13 to 21. A SEER rating of 13 is the minimum this rating is established by law. Owners with older units will save energy by upgrading to a higher SEER rating. Air conditioning units are sized in tons. Installation experts calculate size requirements by measuring the square footage of the home or office.

Individuals might assume having a bigger unit will save on energy. The opposite is true installing an oversized unit will cause it to cycle more. Units to be effective must de-humidify the area short running cycles will not allow for de-humidifying. Units sized to small will never be able to bring the temperature down in the home. Read the rest of this entry »