Most people incorrectly assume that the only way you are going to achieve any real home energy savings relating to air-conditioning your property is to install a new air conditioning unit. However, in many cases, converting to a new air conditioner that is only slightly an upgrade is almost just as wasteful as leaving the old unit running. Instead, there are multiple ways that you can improve efficiency of your existing unit. For example, installing ceiling fans, increasing the insulation in your walls and attic, and sealing up air gaps around windows and doors will lead to substantial home energy savings in both the summer and winter!
Additionally, there are ways to improve home energy savings that are even less invasive. Purchasing and installing a programmable thermostat for example is a home improvement project that often pays itself off in the first month. You are not changing anything about how your AC unit works, mostly just controlling the time and the temperature settings more exactly.
Just installing the thermostat is not enough, however. You also need to put it to proper use by following these simple steps:
Follow the Recommended ‘Constant’ Settings for Increased Home Energy Savings
It is important not only for your own energy use, but also for availability of the energy grid, that you use responsible air-conditioning settings. There is nothing wrong with coming home to a cooler house, but when you are at work, school, or gone for the day you should be practicing conservation. Adjusting your thermostat to 78°F during these times can really make a difference in lower utility bills and improved home energy savings when done so on a constant basis.
Avoid the Temptation to Go into ‘Manual’ Mode
What temperature you set your thermostat to when you are home or when you are sleeping is once again a matter of personal comfort. One thing that is recommended however is to be loyal to that setting. It is tempting to come in from the heat and crank down the AC for instant comfort, but you are really just being counter intuitive by taking the AC off its scheduled plan and making the system work harder.
Use as Many Programs as Available
Modern thermostats have room for more programs than even the busiest household could probably take advantage of. Not only should you differentiate your settings for Monday through Friday, but put in weekend programs as well. For maximum home energy savings take advantage of as many different program slots as are available for each day. Times that can be maximized with your programmable thermostat include:
- Wake up / getting ready
- Leaving for the day
- Getting home
- Sleeping
In addition to these times when people frequently adjust their temperature settings, you can also make adjustments for your lunch hour or for lapses in different members of the household’s schedule. Be the master of your domain, when it comes to temperature settings, and watch your home energy savings grow.
Consider a Smart Phone Enabled Thermostat Model
A programmable thermostat is one of the first steps in home energy savings but in the Smart Phone age, you can take the function and your control to the next level. A Wi-Fi enabled thermostat allows you to monitor and control your thermostat from any Smart Phone. There are also Smart thermostats themselves which ‘learn’ your cooling tendencies and implement them as programs over time. The most recent thermostat components even sense when a room is occupied or when somebody leaves and instantly adjust accordingly.
The future of home energy savings is here – put it to use with the latest in thermostat technology!
Contact Us to Learn More About Home Energy Savings
If you are like many other households trying to increase your home energy savings, contact the heating & air conditioning experts at Galmiche & Sons today! Our friendly technicians can make sure your AC is in proper working order so you get maximum home energy savings throughout the hot and cold months.
