Summer weather in Chelan and Wenatchee can be brutal. But you don’t have to pick between being comfortably cool and saving money on your utility costs. We’ve assembled some tips to help you out.
The best thing you can do to stay cool and ensure energy efficiency is by tending to your air conditioner. ENERGY STAR® says keeping your system operating reliably and efficiently, and Lakeside Heating & Air is here to assist. During an AC tune-up appointment, we’ll do the following tasks recommended by ENERGY STAR and more:
- Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors to be sure there’s safe operation of your system and the possibility of a longer lifespan for major components.
- Clean the air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils as required. Dirty coils require your system to work more often to do its job.
- Check system controls to ensure accurate and safe operation.
- Look at refrigerant levels.
- Clean and adjust blower components to assure accurate system airflow.
Another critical piece to keeping cool is regularly looking at your air conditioner’s air filter. A dirty filter may raise energy costs and damage your equipment, which could lead to untimely failure. Our Lakeside Heating & Air professionals will inspect these for you at your tune-up appointment, but you’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to set up your own schedule to swap them out.
Here are some other tips to keep your home comfortable and energy-efficient:
- Inspect thermostat settings to ensure your air conditioner keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are not around.
- If it is cool at night, you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Let the crisp air cool your place for you! In the morning, shut your windows and window coverings to trap the cool air and block the sun’s heat.
- Take advantage of fans. An ENERGY-STAR ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat a bit higher than you routinely would without feeling any changes in your comfort level.
- Another type of fan people often forget about when they’re working to keep cool is their bathroom ventilation fan. Make sure to run yours when you shower as well as 20 minutes or longer after you’re done to take care of the heat and humidity from your home.
- Work to not leave lights on and running many appliances on the hottest days. Obviously, your stovetop and oven put heat into your home, but even routine activities like watching TV, working on the computer, and drying or curling your hair can up the heat in your home.
If you’d like more ideas on how to keep your home cool and energy efficient this summer, give Lakeside Heating & Air at call at 509-284-4265 or request an appointment with us online.