Stay Cool

Ways to Beat the High Cost of Cooling Down this Summer

Summer means starting up your home's cooling system. Unfortunately, it can also heat up your utility bills. Boyd Nebeker, an Aire Serv franchise owner from Layton, Utah, offers these energy auditing tips:

First, have the system checked by a professional to make sure everything is running at peak efficiency. Second, check the level of insulation in your exterior and basement walls, ceilings, attic, floors, and crawl spaces. Check for holes or cracks around windows and doors and for open fireplace dampers. Also, look out for unsealed ducts in your attic, basement, and crawl spaces. Third, make sure nothing is blocking the system's air return inlet, such as a piece of furniture or a rug. This could decrease the air conditioner's performance. Lastly, look for ways to use natural light to reduce the time your lights are on, and replace your bulbs with the newer, high-efficient light bulbs and lamps.

Other energy-saving steps include:

• Change the system's filter each month to help it work properly.
• Install a programmable thermostat. Increasing the temperature 2 to 5degrees for the eight hours you're at work can result in energy savings of approximately 10 percent. (Don't turn off the system completely; it takes more energy to cool a hot house.) For summer months, only set it as high as is comfortable.
• Install an attic fan. It can remove hot air from the attic so the air conditioner doesn't have to work as hard.
• Relocate the air conditioning unit to the shade. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10 percent less electricity than one in the sun.
• Install a ceiling fan to save about 4 percent on your energy costs. This helps spread the cooled air through your home.
• Keep lamps, televisions, and other heat-producing appliances away from the thermostat.
• Close the blinds on the southwestern side of the house during the day.
• Avoid closing off vents in unused rooms. Cooling systems are designed to cool the whole house. Closing off vents can cause indoor cooling coils to freeze up.