Saving Energy on Air Conditioning

 

At home or in the office, we rarely give much thought to the continual running of the air conditioner. It has become such an ingrained part of our life that we believe we have no choice but to keep paying increasing energy costs to keep it running. That is not true. You can continue to use the air conditioner as much as you need to and yet save on energy costs. Here are a few tips to do so:

• Ensure that the filters of your air conditioner are always clean. Clean filter can save up to 15% of energy costs. Clean or get the filters cleaned at least once a month.
• If you have central air conditioning, ensure that all ducts and vents are functioning properly and that there are no leaks. You may want to consult an expert to check this out and fix problems, if any. Also ensure that no vents are obstructed by furniture, curtains, etc.
• Ensure that all doors and windows shut completely and do not have any leaks from which air can escape. If cold air escapes from an air conditioned room, the air conditioner has to consume more energy to maintain the temperature in the room.
• Ensure that no sunlight enters the room while the air conditioner is on. Sunlight heats up the space and makes your air conditioner work extra hard to cool the room. Use curtains or blinds to filter out sunlight while the air conditioner is on.
• Set the thermostat to optimum temperature. 78 degrees Fahrenheit is considered to be the best setting for your air conditioner during warmer months.