Cooling Your House Efficiently Helps Save Energy, Money

Things are heating up outside, and it’s time to think about the air conditioning unit you’ll be relying on in the coming months. This week’s tip focuses on ways to Reduce Energy Used for Air Conditioning.

 To cool your house efficiently, your air conditioner unit has to be cool, so keep it in the shade. An air conditioner exposed to direct sunlight will use up to 5 percent more energy than a shaded one. Also, air conditioner units located on the north side of the house generally use less energy than those on the south or west sides where it's sunny. If your air conditioner unit is already in the sun, you can build a simple wooden shade screen for it, but don't block the air flow.

Here are some more air conditioner tips to remember as the summer season gets underway:

• If you have central air conditioning, cool only the rooms you use, but don't close off all the vents. Closing too many of them will reduce the operating efficiency.

• Minimize the amount of heat entering your home from outside by drawing shades and curtains on hot days. Drapes must fit tightly against the window and floor to save energy, and even a vinyl shade can cut heat loss in half. Venetian blinds are the least effective energy savers because they have so many gaps. And don't leave windows and doors open while your air conditioner is running.

• Set the thermostat as high as possible: the minimum recommended energy-efficient summer temperature is 78º F.

Timely maintenance for your air conditioner unit and the ducts is important. Check your unit coils every spring to be sure they are clean and straight. If the unit is clogged with leaves, blow them out or vacuum them up. And remember to change your filters throughout your system. A clogged filter will use 5 percent more energy than a clean one.