Cool Tips to Beat Summer Heat and Save Energy with a High Efficiency HVAC

Summertime can bring a little extra spending. While many of us are excited about our traveling and remodeling that we’ve been planning all year long, we’re also be pondering ways to save energy dollars so you can use them for all those fun summer activities. Will you go on a vacation or staycation? Grill out or order in? Repair your old AC or replace it for a high efficiency HVAC?

Keep your HVAC unit  running at peak performance so it can do its job as best as it can and use less energy. At least once a year, schedule professional HVAC maintenance. This can double the lifespan of your system and ensure that all your warranties remain in effect.

Additionally, the simple act of changing or cleaning your air filters air filters monthly is another good first step but did you know that you can save 20-50% on your energy bills by switching to a high-efficiency HVAC? Not sure if it’s time to replace your AC unit? Talk to the experts at Lawes to find out.

Tips to Beat Summer Heat

With these cool tips, you can beat the summer heat and save even more energy costs around the house.

• Set your thermostat to 78 degrees (or the highest comfortable temperature). Studies show that each degree cooler than 78 degrees can increase your bill by as much as 3%.
• Place window units on the shady (or North) side of your home if possible.
• Close the shades on the sunny side of your home during the day to keep light and heat out.
• Turn on kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans to remove excess humidity caused by cooking, laundry and showering.
• Seal holes and cracks around windows and doors with weather-stripping. Use this home map from energy.gov to test your home for air tightness.
• Don’t cool and empty house, set the thermostat to 80 when you’re away.
• Use ceiling fans to stay comfortable when you’re in the room. Run fans in counterclockwise direction in the summer and make sure to turn them off when you leave since fans are meant to cool people and not the actual room temperature.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light and LED bulbs. Then turn off any unnecessary lights (much of the energy used from a light bulb is heat).
• Dress in thin, loose-fitting clothing.
• Grill out instead of cooking on the stove. Indoor cooking can raise your kitchen’s temp by as much as 10 degrees!
• Get your heat-producing chores done during the early morning and evening hours (laundry, dishwasher, cooking, etc).
• “Were you born in a barn?” We’ve all heard that famous one-liner from our parents, haven’t we? Keep the door closed. Every time you open the door, cool air escapes and heat comes in.

Find more energy saving tips at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Savers website.

Discover the Benefits of a High Efficiency HVAC Unit

Air conditioning units are complex, fortunately, Lawes Heating and Cooling Company has a team of expert air conditioning technicians on hand 24/7, all year round. So if you’re unsure whether your home air conditioning system needs repair or replacement, get in touch today at (732) 741- 6302 and let us take care of you and your family’s cooling needs.