Home Cooling - Improve Efficiency and Lower Your Costs

Home Cooling – Improve Efficiency and Lower Your Costs

Your homes’ cooling depends on several factors (shade, insulation, reflectivity and your personal tolerance to heat). The more you can achieve the better your efficiency will be. We’ve all been taught basics but with a closer look you can easily save even more.

1. Reduce Internal Heat - humans contribute to indoor heat build-up and so do our appliances, entertainment gadgets, lighting and cooking methods. Avoid heating the oven during a hot day and limit your hot water usage. Turn-off the entertainment gadgets by using the new power-saver strips created just for television, Wii, computers and printers.

2. Reduce Air Leakage – sealing ducts can save 10 to 25% on energy costs. They can be hard to find so this needs to be done by a professional it is well worth the long-term savings.

3. Transmission – Simple ventilation techniques can help flush the heat out. Such as the occupants should open and close windows, window coverings at the proper time. Also turning on fans including ceiling fans at the proper time to create air movement.

4. Upgrade to a new air conditioning unit – Since the 1970’s, newer units have an efficiency that is at least 1-1/2 to 2 times greater than the units of that era. Some of the advances made include:
a. Variable-speed or a two-speed blower system
b. Aluminum fins spaced closer together and perforated to improve heat transfer to air.
c. Improved electric motor design.
d. Dual-speed compressors
e. Time-delay relays controlling evaporator fans.

There are rebates in place making the desire to change even more appealing. These rebates along with overall efficiency improvements make this well worth considering.

5. Improve Air Flow - Central air conditioning systems are designed to cool the whole house so closing the registers in unused rooms will not usually save you anything. Make sure your air from every supply register has an unobstructed airway back to a return register. This blockage can pressurize or depressurize portions of a home resulting in poor air conditioning performance. It can also increase air leakage through the building shell. Check to make sure ducts and registers are not badly bent or dirty.

6. Failing the Air Conditioner’s Efficiency Rating?
This mostly occurs due to faulty installation and/or inadequate planning. A common problem due to inadequate planning includes low air flow, incorrect refrigerant charge and duct-air leakage. Periodically have a service call to check the refrigerant charge. For a satisfactory performance and efficiency a home central system should be within one of the correct charge.


7. Basic Maintenance and Service
The difference in consumption between a well-maintained unit versus a severely neglected system can range from 10% to 30%. These (5) maintenance tasks can be performed by a skilled technician or homeowner and really improve your units performance.
a. Clean or replace filters every 1 to 4 months
b. Clean supply and return registers. Straighten their fins (dirt and damage)
c. Clean the blower’s fan blades.
d. Clean evaporator coil and condensate pan every 2 to 4 years.
e. Remove debris from around condenser. Straighten bent fins.