Everyone should be able to run an air conditioner without it costing them a fortune. And sometimes that means installing a few upgrades or paying for some services that can significantly boost the air conditioner’s efficiency.
In this post, you won’t find any gimmicky or “quick” methods for improving efficiency—those rarely work. Instead, we’ll tell you which AC services in Sacramento, CA can make a serious difference in your monthly cooling costs:
1. Keep Up With Regular Maintenance
Just like with a car, nothing will keep your AC running smoothly and efficiently as well as regularly scheduled maintenance. We know that a lot of homeowners are skeptical about the benefits of maintenance, but when you break it down and understand all the parts involved, it makes sense.
Air conditioners are finely tuned machines. If even one major component stops working the way it’s supposed to, it will have a domino effect on the rest of the system—and it’s not always apparent.
For example, leaking refrigerant is one of the worst problems your AC could have, but it can go completely undetected. Leaking refrigerant can lead to big problems like frozen coils and possible compressor failure. Before any of these things can happen, however, it’s going to increase the demand on your system, directly affecting the efficiency and leading to higher monthly cooling costs.
2. Install an Attic Fan
The use of an attic fan is an indirect, but highly effective method for lowering the temperature in a home.
The beating sun, combined with the fact that heat rises, makes the attic extremely hot on even the most average summer days. This heat will dissipate into your home and raise the temperature as much as 8°F. Attic fans work to push this air outside and thus lower the temperature in your attic.
3. Seal the Leaks Around the Home
In your air-conditioned home, air is money. You can’t afford to have air just flying out the windows. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens with homes that aren’t properly air sealed. For homes that are extra drafty, what they need is some sealing around the windows, door frames, and other places that let air in and out.
There is an art to air sealing, however. A home that’s too airtight is not going to have the desired effect and will lower your indoor air quality. A professional HVAC contractor will be able to air seal your home according to the best practices so that you can enjoy better comfort and lower energy bills.
4. Have Your Ducts Tested and Sealed
Somewhat like air sealing, but the location makes all the difference. While air sealing keeps conditioned air inside your home, duct sealing keeps the air inside your ducts. The only place that air should be coming out of the ducts is through the air vents leading into the rooms of your home. However, after a few years of use, your ducts can become subject to wear and tear, including leaks.
Up to 30% of energy is estimated to be lost through these duct leaks, but it can easily be prevented by making sure it’s sealed up through the entire duct system.
Contact Sierra Pacific Home & Comfort, Inc. today to speak with an expert about how to save more money on your cooling costs.