How to Save Money on Your AC This Summer

Hot sun

The first day of summer (Thursday, June 21) is almost here.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, here’s what you can expect for the Air Treatment ClimateCare service area (Toronto, North York, and surrounding areas):

  • SUMMER WILL BE HOTTER THAN NORMAL with rainfall below normal in Southwest Ontario. The hottest periods will be early and late June, early July and mid-to-late August. September and October will be warmer and slightly drier than normal.

In short, it’s going to be hot.

That also means your air conditioner is going to be working overtime to keep you cool all season long. Of course, the longer it runs, the more it’ll cost you.

Since going without your home cooling system isn’t an option this summer, here are some easy-to-follow tips to help you save money on your AC.

Schedule air conditioner service maintenance

Off the top of your head, do you remember the last time you had protective maintenance performed on your AC?

Book service

If not, there’s no better time to request a service visit than right now.

As mentioned at the beginning of this blog, it’s expected to be a long, brutally hot summer.

The very last thing you want is to have your air conditioner break down on the hottest day of the year.

That’s bad. And having to spring for unnecessary air conditioner repair is even worse.

Before the summer sizzle arrives, you should have the following work performed on your air conditioner:

  • Summer tune-up.
  • Identifying and updating old/ineffective components.
  • Thorough cleaning.
  • Adjustment of wires, cables, and other important elements.

Contact Air Treatment ClimateCare now to schedule your summer AC maintenance.

Seal any drafts

Do you live in an older home?

If so, cool air from something like a ductless air conditioner can escape through even the tiniest cracks and openings.

When that happens, you end up cooling down the outside neighbourhood, rather than inside your home.

Cool air is usually lost in the following locations:

  • Worn out door seals.
  • Poor window insulation.
  • Inadequate attic insulation.

A good idea would be to schedule a home energy audit. An inspector will come to your home, find any trouble spots, and provide suggestions on how you can fix them.

If you’re the type who likes to do-it-yourself, you can always conduct a self-audit.

Simply walk around the outside of the house and run your hand along the windows and doors.

Where you feel cold air escaping is where you must focus your efforts on sealing those drafts. Normally, caulking or weather-stripping from your local hardware store should do the trick.

Install a smart thermostat

ecobee

According to an American study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:

  • 89% of homeowners do not program their thermostats.
  • The number one reason why is that it’s just too complicated.

While Canadian numbers aren’t available, it quite possible they would be similar to their American counterparts.

By installing a smart thermostat, you eliminate the time and frustration required to get your old programmable thermostat “just right.”

Instead, something like the ecobee smart thermostat “learns” the comings and goings of your family.

When it senses the house is empty, it’ll go into energy-saving mode. After all, there’s no reason to cool the home when nobody’s there.

And when it senses that your home is occupied, it’ll automatically adjust to your ideal temperature.

Other benefits include:

  • Global Wi-Fi control: Whether you’re at work, out for dinner, or even on vacation, you can monitor and adjust the temperature settings of your smart thermostat.
  • Detailed reports: Get reports on how much energy you used and tips on how you can save. Receive alerts on things like the humidity level in your home and upcoming weather forecasts.

Lastly – and perhaps most importantly – a smart thermostat can lower your energy usage by up to 26%; just by knowing when your home is empty.

Learn more about the ecobee smart thermostat, available from Air Treatment ClimateCare.

A few other things you can do

Even the smallest change can make a difference on your monthly hydro bills; without having to sacrifice any of your family’s comfort.

Duct cleaning

  • Before leaving the house, close any blinds and curtains.
  • Adjust the ceiling fans in your home to run counter-clockwise.
  • Cook outdoors and use the BBQ whenever you can.
  • Get the air ducts in your home cleaned.

One more thing you can do is raise the temperature of your thermostat by a degree and see if you (or anyone in your family) notice a difference.

If they don’t, raise it by another degree and see what happens.

Some people confuse the concept of “being cool” with “being comfortable.”

Having a temperature of, say 22°C in your home is nice. However, when it’s 35°C outside, 22°C still feels too hot. So you drop the temperature down to 18°C.

That’ll keep you cool, no doubt. But it’ll also cost you more money too.

Let Air Treatment ClimateCare help you save money on your AC

Remember, this summer is predicted to be hot, hazy, and humid.

You need total peace of mind knowing that your air conditioner is ready to handle it.

At the same time, you want to keep more money where it belongs: In your pocket.

With AC maintenance from Air Treatment ClimateCare, you can have both.

Contact us to book a service call or to ask any questions you have. We’ll get back ASAP with the answers and information you need.

Contact us