Energy Efficient Home in the Summer
Most air conditioning units run on electric energy. They work by using Freon, which is a solvent that causes the air that is blown by a fan to get cold before it is distributed into the house. Many air conditioner units, especially older units, run out of Freon and need to be re-charged. If the air conditioning unit is out of this solvent, or has a leak, chances are that the unit will run and run but you will not feel any cooler. The unit will have to run three times more than normal in order to get the same effect. You may not realize this is happening, depending upon the levels of Freon in the unit. Obviously, if the unit is completely out of Freon and the house isn’t getting any cooler, you will notice that something is wrong. However, if the unit is simply low on Freon and the house is maintaining a cool temperature, you may not realize that your air conditioning unit is working extra hard to make the house cool.
By getting your air conditioning unit serviced on a regular basis, you can save yourself quite a bit of money in electricity charges. If the air conditioner is low on Freon, the heating and air conditioning contractor can re-charge it for you at a fraction of what you will pay in your first electric bill when running an uncharged air conditioner.
If your air conditioner needs to be replaced, you should look for a unit that is energy efficient. Most air conditioning units made today are much more energy efficient than those made years ago. When it comes time to replace your air conditioning unit, you will most likely be surprised at the amount of money you will save in your electric bill with a new air conditioning unit.
If you have window air conditioning units, you may think that you cannot do anything to save on energy. If these units are affixed to the house, you should make sure that they are cleaned properly to keep them working in good condition. You should also make sure that you caulk or weather strip around the unit so that you do not loose any cold or warm air.
Window air conditioning units that are removable should be removed each winter and stored in a safe place. The unit should be cleaned and kept clean until the time when it goes back into the window. Most window units have screens that cover the opening in the window to prevent the cool air from escaping. These screens are not energy efficient at all. You are better off to cover the part of the open window that holds the air conditioning with pieces of insulation. While this may not look that great, it will do a better job of keeping the cool air in the house than the flimsy screens that come with window air conditioning units.
Installing overhead fans in your rooms is another way that you can save on energy costs. Overhead fans can not only spread cool air throughout the house, but warm air as well. They are a smart choice when it comes to making your home more energy efficient and run on a fraction of the electricity of that of an air conditioner. They are usually inexpensive and have light kits that can be attached to them to make a light in the ceiling as well. By using these types of fans, with energy efficient light bulbs in the light kits, you can save on energy in your home.
The fans can easily be installed if you have an electric connector in the ceiling. If you do not have a place in your ceiling for a light fixture, you will have to have an electrician come out and pull the wires for you so you can install a ceiling fixture. In most cases, the electrician will be able to do this in a day. The charge for such a service is usually around $100 for each room in which you want a ceiling fixture.
You can also use oscillating fans to move air from room to room before you turn on the air conditioning in the summer. Fans can do wonders when it comes to cooling things down in the house and run on a fraction of the electricity of an air condoning unit.
