Energy efficiency and air conditioning in getting ready for summer

As we get closer to summer, we need to prepare to keep our houses cool as well as make sure that we make sure that our air conditioning is working efficiently so our air conditioning bill do not eat us our of house and home. There are a few ways that we can guarantee that Your air conditioning is working as well as it possibly can.

To lower your energy consumption due to air-conditioning you really only have two options:  buy a more efficient air conditioner or adapt how you are living to use yours more efficiently.  To learn about getting a new Energy Star air conditioner, check out their website.  To learn how to adapt your usage to cut down on those high cooling bills, keep reading.

Energy Star air conditioners are certified as highly energy-efficient, thereby saving you money on your monthly energy bill, while providing your home or your office with cool air. When you decide that it’s time to purchase a new air conditioning unit, it’s definitely worth the time it takes to become educated about the types of air conditioning models that are available for purchase. Energy Star air conditioners are available in almost every style of air conditioner possible, so keep that in mind while you’re researching the type of air conditioner that you want to purchase.

In addition to getting an energy efficient system, I think there are three main things you can do to stay cooler in the hot summer months:

1)  Control your thermostat!
- This is probably one of the easiest ways to save the most money.  If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, get one.  If you have one, get better at using it.  That means adjusting your temperature set points to reflect your lifestyle.  If you leave for work at 8 and get back at 6, set your thermostat to a higher temperature (say 78) for the time you are gone, then program it to the temperature you want to come home to and tell it to turn on around 5:15 so your house will be nice and cool for you.  It is not, I repeat, IT IS NOT more efficient to just let your AC run all day when you are not there.  Program your thermostat to turn off (or at least set it at a higher temperature) when you don’t need it on!!!

2) Use fans throughout your house!
Having a fan on will allow you to keep your thermostat at a higher temperature, requiring your AC to work less.  Now, this is assuming you have an efficient fan and the energy required to run the fan is less than the energy required to keep your AC a few degrees cooler.  But if having a fan on will allow you to keep your AC at 76 as opposed to 72, I’m pretty sure you’ll be saving a lot of energy.  Pull out that old desktop fan if you work in your home office or install some ceiling fans!

3) Check your duct work !- If you have central AC then you have duct work that runs through the innards of your house and into each room.  If you have a leak in this duct work you are cooling the inside of your house.  Not very efficient!  Check any exposed duct work in your attic or basement and make sure there are no leaks.  If there are, insulate them.
So there aren’t any earth shattering tips here, but most of energy conservation isn’t.  It really just takes a lot of attention to your thermostat and surroundings.  Find that setting where you are comfortable, and keep it there.  If you aren’t at home, turn everything off.  In a few years it will be commonplace to control your AC from your cell phone, but until then, be vigilant!

When its hot outside, especially when you live in California, the only solace we have from the heat is heading inside to get out of the sun, but if you are an allergy sufferer, you might be compromising your health.  Because houses are closed environments meaning that the windows are caulked, insulated and weatherproofed. They are highly effected barriers for the cool air to escape and mix with the outdoor air.   Unfortunately for Allergy sufferers there are a lot of contaminants that cannot escape the air conditioned environment. Things such as pet dander, dust mites, synthetic fibers as well as pesticides and household cleaning products are a veritable danger zone for those who are allergic.
When the air conditioning unit is turned on, the contaminants get circulated around the house. For allergy sufferers, central AC systems can cause or exacerbate a variety of symptoms including irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, respiratory congestion and shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches and fatigue.  There are remedies to these problems.
First thing a homeowner who is an allergy sufferer can do is to have his air ducts professionally cleaned and inspected for leaks  The house should be cleaned or replaced by a certified HVAC Professional,  He will clean the air filters and remove the contaminants. Air filters are available at home and garden stores.  Some filters are better then others.  An Allergy sufferer should not just get any old filter.  High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are often recommended. HEPA filters are single-use, disposable filters constructed of a dry-type filter medium with a minimum particulate removal efficiency of 99.97% of 0.3 micron or lager contaminants. HEPA filters are available in a range of resistances and flows. Ultra-low penetration aerosol filters are also available and provide filtering of 99.9995% of particles 0.1 microns or larger.

How Much will It Cost!

A new gas furnace usually ranges from $1,500 – $3,000 for a standard installation. Variables include size of equipment, location, code upgrades, and permits.

What Manufacture?

All manufactures offer base model equipment, mid level, and high efficiency systems. Be sure to know what you are looking  to get out of the new system so we can properly pick equipment based on your like and preferences.

What Efficiency?

Choosing the right equipment efficiency really depends on the usage and application. If you use the equipment often you’ll benefit from high efficiency equipment. If you don’t use the equipment much why pay the higher cost for the high efficiency systems.

For more information or questions please contact Specialized Mechanical 760-644-8595 www.specializedhvac.com

How old is the equipment?

How aften do you use it?

When working does it cool well?

Is the ducting in good condition?

What’s you budget?

What local repairs are available?

All things that need to be considered!!!

Maintaining you equipment does not have to be so complicated. Sometime just a quick look over and you might spot something out of place.