It might not be hot enough just yet to start blasting our air conditioners, but that time is just around the corner. We just hope you’ve scheduled your AC maintenance already. Maintenance is one of the best ways to ensure your cooling season starts off efficiently.
However, maintenance is just one way to maintain efficiency. You might wonder if there are things you can do to actively maintain that efficiency throughout the season.
Indeed, there are, and we’ll list some of them down below:
Substituting With Solar Energy
One of the best ways to save on energy is simply by transitioning to a solar energy system. Any electricity you can generate is yours to keep or to sell back to the electrical company. And on the rare days that your solar energy system can’t generate enough power, you can still use the city’s electrical grid as a backup (even that amount of energy will be substantially less than what you use daily).
We’re an HVAC company specializing in Stockton, CA solar energy solutions, so we can help you with converting your system to solar energy. But at the same time, we also understand not everyone is ready to make the leap. You can try easing into it with these smaller modifications:
- Solar pool heaters: Ever want to enjoy your swimming pool on a warm night, but find the pool is a bit too cold? Energy you stored during the day can be used to heat your pool when it’s dark out.
- Solar attic fans: Attic fans can remove a huge burden from your air conditioner by dispelling heated air from the attic. You also get double the savings by using a solar powered device.
- Solar water heaters: The need for hot water doesn’t go out of season—why not remove it from your monthly expenses by using a solar water heater instead?
Changing Your Thermostat Habits
If you search for tips to save energy online, you’ll come across articles insisting you find clever and exhausting ways to use your air conditioner less and less.
We don’t believe in the idea of turning off your AC entirely for certain hours of the day. That just uses more energy when it comes time to cool your home down again. Keeping the temperature consistent is better than having it fluctuate up and down.
That being said, a good way to use your thermostat more wisely is by trying to keep the indoor temperature as close to 78°F as you can manage. Keeping the thermostat closer to the temperature of the outdoor is going to help substantially with energy savings. 78°F might sound uncomfortable at first, but try easing into it over the course of several days—you might be surprised to find yourself adjusting just fine.
Adhere to SMUD Hours
Finally, make sure that you’re adjusting your temperature in accordance with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s Time-of-Day Rates. These are the times of day where it’s more expensive to use electricity.
For 2019, the peak hours are between 5 and 8 p.m. Use energy-efficient practices during this time to pay less on your overall cooling and electric bills.
For more energy saving tips, contact Sierra Pacific Home & Comfort, Inc. The Guys in the Big Red Trucks.