As any budget-savvy homeowner can tell you, cooling a house throughout the arid summer months can cost an arm and a leg. The more strain your household puts on its AC, the more you can expect to spend each month. There’s no getting around the fact that air conditioning is necessary for most modern-day homes, especially in states known for brutally hot summers. However, this isn’t to say AC should be the only tool at your disposal. As you’ll find, several simple and effective measures will relieve the burden on both your air conditioning and your finances.
Place Ceiling Fans In Key Areas
When it comes to reducing your home cooling costs, ceiling fans can be invaluable tools. For one thing, they help relieve your central AC of some of its burden by circulating the cooled air it produces throughout your home. As such, it’s recommended that you install ceiling fans in every oft-used area of your residence. This will help ensure that the parts of your home that are occupied on a regular basis are able to enjoy consistently cool temps.
Of course, this isn’t to say that all ceiling fans are created equal. To fully enjoy the various benefits that ceiling fans have to offer, you’ll need to exercise discernment when shopping around for the right fans. Any fans you invest in should offer a wide variety of rotation speeds, be easy to install, and feature remote control. Ceiling fans with remote control can be particularly helpful for people in homes with large ceilings and those of us who don’t want to stop whatever we’re doing every time a fan needs to be adjusted.
Replace Outdated AC Units
If you use individual AC units instead of central cooling, there’s a good chance some of your air conditioners need to be replaced. For example, many window-based units have a lifespan of eight to 10 years. However, given the relatively high cost of decent air conditioners, many of us attempt to make these devices last well past their prime. While wanting to get the most use out of expensive appliances is certainly understandable, this level of frugality is unlikely to serve you well when it comes to AC. An outdated unit will have to work much harder to cool the space it’s installed in and will often be ineffective at carrying out its core task.
Given how much energy outdated units put forth, there’s little wonder as to why they’re synonymous with increased power costs. So, while you may not be keen on the idea of shelling out hundreds of dollars for a replacement unit, continuing to use an older one may ultimately cost you more in the long run. That being the case, if any of your air conditioners are past their projected lifespans and noticeably faulty, make a point of upgrading. Furthermore, when shopping around for replacement units, look for those designed with energy-efficiency in mind.
Seal Doors And Windows
A significant amount of air escapes through doors and windows, regardless of whether they’re open or shut. Needless to say, this can make it difficult to keep home cooling costs in check. You can get a handle on escaped air by sealing your doors and windows. As a bonus, there are numerous ways to go about this task. From easy-to-apply stickers to weatherproofing to foam tape, sealing your doors and windows can help keep your home comfortably cool throughout the summer and nice and toasty throughout the winter. Additionally, to prevent air from escaping through your roof, make sure your attic is properly insulated.
Heating and cooling costs are among the least enjoyable things about homeownership. If you live in an area that’s prone to extreme weather, there’s a good chance you’re shelling out a small fortune to keep your residence at a comfortable temperature. Things can get particularly pricey during the summer months when many households use air conditioning around the clock. Of course, this isn’t to say that you should resign yourself to paying a king’s ransom in cooling costs each month. If reduced heating and cooling bills are what you’re after, the previously discussed measures are sure to come in handy.
