How to Reduce Your Energy Consumption in the Summer

Even your pets know how to find the most comfortable place in the house in the summer: it’s right in front of the air conditioner. When the mercury rises, it’s impossible to avoid the temptation to turn up the air conditioning, even though you know that that next month’s electric bill is going to be a shocker. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to reduce your energy bills. Your local ac repair company can help you out here, with regular maintenance visits that will keep your system running efficiently.

The dog days of summer are here
When the dog days of summer hit, air conditioning feels like a necessity rather than a luxury. About two-thirds of all homeowners in the U.S. would agree with that statement, and have air conditioning options in their homes. About 48% of home energy consumption goes into heating and cooling, which means that there’s no respite from high electric bills in the summer.
There’s another down side to the high energy usage of course, and that is the impact on the environment. Something like 85% of the energy produced in the U.S. still relies on fossil fuels, which produce the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Reducing your energy usage is better for the environment as well as your wallet. Your local air conditioning company will have some good advice and tips as well.

How to reduce your energy costs
There are a few simple steps you can take, in the short term and long term, to reduce your cooling costs. Using drapes and window curtains to block out strong direct sunshine can make rooms in your house cooler. There’s a wide variety of styles and colors to choose from, so you can update your home decor at the same time.
For windows that get hours of direct sunlight every day, you can get blackout curtains that will block most of the light. In the longer term, if you own your house, you can also consider planting shade trees. They will help to keep the house and its surroundings cooler. It’s a good idea to pick deciduous trees that will shed their leaves in the winter, when sunlight is welcome. As a bonus, you can pick trees like the sycamore that will give you a spectacular display in the fall.

Regular maintenance can save you money
Another very simple way to save money is to set up a regular maintenance schedule for your air conditioning and HVAC system. Regular maintenance can keep it running at maximum efficiency, which will reduce electric costs. It begins with correct installation, since improper installation of HVAC systems can lead to 30% higher energy consumption.
Annual inspections can also help to identify any problems early on, and avoid costly ac repairs or inconvenient breakdowns later. Many air conditioning companies offer regular service visits for different types of air conditioners, which can keep your system in good order.

Regular maintenance can keep your HVAC system running smoothly and reduce its energy consumption. It can also help to prevent the need for ac repairs which can be expensive and inconvenient.