Does Central Air Conditioning Use More Electricity?

How to Make Your Cooling System More Efficient

When summer temperatures soar, it’s natural to wonder how much energy your central air conditioning system is using. After all, keeping your home cool is one of the biggest contributors to higher electric bills during the hottest months of the year.

The fact is, central air conditioning can use a significant amount of electricity because it’s cooling your entire home. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s inefficient. A well-maintained central air system usually uses less energy than multiple window air conditioners while providing more consistent comfort. On the other hand, an older air conditioner often needs to run longer to reach the desired temperature, using more electricity in the process. Newer systems are designed to deliver the same amount of cooling while using much less energy.

One option is to update your cooling system to a new, high-efficiency central air system. But there are ways to improve the efficiency of your existing system that can help you improve your comfort and also keep your bills in check. Here’s what you need to know.

Maintenance Is Key for Central Air

When all the parts are working properly, your system doesn’t need to work as hard to keep your home at a consistent, comfortable temperature. A professional tune-up from the experts at Casey ensures your system is running at peak efficiency and can prevent or correct problems like a blocked drain line that can lead to bigger, more expensive problems. Have a service plan with us? Your tune-up is included.

Between tune-ups, make sure you know how to check and clean or change the filters. You should do this every month or so in the summer. Also be sure there’s no shrubbery or debris blocking the outside unit.

Use Your Smart Thermostat

The technology behind smart thermostats means you can adjust your thermostat from anywhere using an app on your phone. So if you’re heading home earlier than usual, or you don’t have a regular schedule, you can adjust your thermostat remotely when you’re a half hour from home, or a half hour before the kids get home.

When you use a smart thermostat to raise the A/C when you leave the house and turn it back down in time to make the house comfortable by the time you get home, you may be able to cut cooling costs by as much as 10%, according to the United States Department of Energy. You can earn similar savings when you use it to control your heat in the winter.

Block the Heat

Keeping the heat out of your house in the first place will mean you won’t feel the need to blast the A/C. And it won’t need to work as hard to cool your rooms if they aren’t as hot to begin with. There are some easy ways to do that. Closing blinds during the day means the sun can’t heat up your rooms. Keep them open during the winter to warm up. Avoid using the stove and oven, and avoid running appliances like washers and dryers during the day. Summer is for grilling, after all!

If you have ceiling fans, they will help keep cool air down where you are. And a dehumidifier will help eliminate excess moisture in your home, which will make you feel less sticky and more comfortable.

Time for a Replacement?

At a certain point, even the most well-maintained cooling equipment will need to be replaced. Usually, that’s around the 15-year mark. If the signs are telling you it’s time to replace your cooling equipment, such as higher bills, poor performance, or frequent breakdowns, the good news is that a new system will run more efficiently and help you cut your cooling costs by as much as a third. Our team of experts can help assess your needs and talk to you about trouble spots, like those spaces that never seem to cool off.

Whatever your needs this summer, you can count on the expert team at Casey Energy. We’re here for all your cooling system installation, maintenance, and repair needs. Contact us today for more information.