Lowering AC Costs in the Summertime
When the temperature climbs, most of us in the Sacramento area find our energy bills climbing right along with it. Believe it or not, you can stay cool this summer and still keep your cool when the electric bill arrives — with these simple tips from your Sacramento plumbing and HVAC team at Ace Plumbing.
1. Get a Smart Thermostat
Your house doesn't need to feel like the Arctic when you're not even in it. A smart thermostat lets you set the temperature by time of day as well as by degree, so you're not cooling an empty house. The Department of Energy recommends this approach, and makes a suggestion that might surprise you: your thermostat should be set to 78°F when you're home.
If 78°F sounds too warm, keep two things in mind. First, setting your thermostat higher directly saves money. Second, if your home still feels too hot at that setting, air conditioning might not actually be the problem — which brings us to our next tip.
2. Run a Dehumidifier
It never fails — complain about the heat, and someone will say, "It ain't the heat that gets you, it's the humidity." They're right, though: humid air feels warmer whether you're outdoors or just having morning coffee at the kitchen table. Controlling indoor humidity lets you run the AC at a warmer setting while still feeling just as cool. Ace Plumbing can assess your home and help you determine whether a whole-home or single-room dehumidifier makes more sense for your space — and if you already have one, regular cleaning and maintenance keeps it running efficiently rather than working against you.
3. Use Fans the Right Way
Home designs are getting better for energy efficiency, but plenty of them still do a lousy job of actual air circulation — which means your HVAC system ends up working harder than it should. If your home has ceiling fans and vent fans, use them. If it doesn't, get them. The DOE article linked above notes that a ceiling fan can let you set your thermostat four degrees higher without noticing a difference in comfort.
Speaking of fans, don't forget your ventilation fans in the kitchen (while cooking) and bathroom (while showering) — each draws off hot, humid air and helps keep those rooms cooler, not to mention clearing out cooking and other odors along the way.
4. Don't Heat Your Own Home
Your air conditioner may be working overtime because of all the ways you're unintentionally heating your home in the summer. Avoid running heat-generating appliances during the day — your stovetop, oven, hair dryer, and plenty of electronics all add heat you then have to cool back down. Still running incandescent bulbs? Swapping to LED cuts both heat output and energy cost. And keep shades lowered and curtains drawn during the day — direct sunlight flooding a room is one of the fastest ways to raise its temperature. For more room-by-room strategies, see our guide on how to cool a room in Sacramento.
5. Ensure Your System Is Actually Efficient
A number of things can quietly make an HVAC system inefficient: a thermostat mounted on the wrong wall, dirty coils, low refrigerant, filthy filters, or HVAC repairs that have been put off. Any of these can leave your AC working harder than it needs to all summer long. Regular air conditioner maintenance costs a bit upfront but saves you money in the long run — both on energy bills and on avoiding premature system replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should I set my thermostat to in summer? The Department of Energy recommends 78°F when you're home and adjusting higher when you're away, as the sweet spot between comfort and energy savings.
Does a dehumidifier actually help lower AC costs? Yes — controlling indoor humidity makes a given temperature feel cooler, which lets you run your thermostat a few degrees warmer without sacrificing comfort, translating to real savings on your cooling bill.
How much does a ceiling fan really save on cooling costs? Per DOE guidance, a ceiling fan can let you raise your thermostat by about four degrees without noticing a difference — meaningful savings for a relatively small appliance, though fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when you leave.
How often should I get AC maintenance to keep costs down? An annual tune-up before peak cooling season is generally enough to catch efficiency issues like dirty coils or low refrigerant before they drive your bill up all summer.
Wondering where to turn for Sacramento HVAC maintenance? Look no further than Ace Plumbing. Contact us today.