When you live in our climate, an air conditioning system isn’t just a convenience… it’s an absolute necessity to stay comfortable and even healthy in our homes. Without proper air conditioning, a spring or summer season in the Acworth area can be unbearable.
Of course, we also all know far too well how much energy our air conditioners consume. In fact, it’s estimated that our home comfort systems account for half of our home’s entire energy consumption. So if your air conditioner isn’t operating efficiently, you have a problem.
Read on to learn more!
What Is Energy Efficiency?
Energy efficiency means using less energy to get the job done, put in simple terms.
What does this mean? Let’s say you want to cool down your house. Your air conditioner isn’t currently on. So, you turn it on. You set the thermostat to 68°F, hoping that will help your house cool down faster, and you don’t bother to close any blinds or windows that might be bringing in ambient heat from the sun. Oh, and you don’t touch your ceiling fans.
This is actually inefficient system use.
Efficient AC system use looks like this:
- You keep your air conditioning system on all day, set to a comfortable 78°F. Your air conditioner has to run longer and essentially “work harder” to cool your home any further than that, therefore using more energy than it should otherwise have to.
- You close your blinds and curtains, especially on south facing windows. This will keep the ambient heat out longer during the day, so your air conditioner won’t have to cycle on quite so early in the day.
- You run your ceiling fans in occupied rooms. Your ceiling fans actually help circulate cooled air better, so that you can feel cooler, therefore letting your raise the thermostat a bit, acheiving higher energy efficiency.
Energy Efficient Equipment Guide
In addition to investing in ENERGY STAR HVAC equipment, there are other equipment upgrades you can make in your home that will help improve overall efficiency, including:
- LED light bulbs
- Energy-efficient windows
- More insulation–insulation prevents heat transfer, making it just as effective in the summer as in the winter.
- Smart thermostats–These smart home devices “learn” from your heating and cooling preferences, and adjust themselves accordingly for optimal efficiency.
According to the ENERGY STAR website, the average household can shave off 24% of their yearly energy bills by upgrading to efficient ENERGY STAR certified products!
How Does a Smart Home Impact Efficiency?
Having a “smart home” with products like smart thermostats and other devices impacts efficiency by increasing it! By lowering your energy use in general, being more energy efficient will reduce your monthly utility bills, and will make energy more affordable for your household. Some energy-efficient products do cost more to buy upfront, however, they save you far more money over the long term than their counterparts.
Dayco works with leading brands with energy-efficient equipment, and we look forward to helping you get the most out of your heating and cooling efforts this year and into the future!
Contact Dayco Systems for help with your energy efficiency in Acworth, GA!
