4 Common Ways You Can Lower Your Energy Bills
Finding ways to lower your energy bills is helpful if you want to reduce your monthly costs. While there are plenty of ways to use less power, reducing how hard your HVAC system works and how often it runs will give you the best results. Hire a professional contractor in Palm Desert, CA, to perform regular HVAC services, such as AC repair and maintenance, so that your system always runs at its best. However, you can do other things to lower your energy bill and aid your HVAC system.
Replace Your Old Thermostat with a Smart One
Many homeowners never give their thermostats a second thought. That said, replacing an old device with a smart or programmable thermostat could save you big bucks on your energy bills. With a programmable thermostat, you can easily adjust the temperature in your home to fit your weekly schedule.
For example, you don’t need your HVAC system to heat or cool your home when you’re away. If you leave your home at regular intervals, such as for work, you can program your system to adjust the temperature while you’re gone. You can also program the thermostat to readjust the temperature before you return. As a result, your home is always at an enjoyable temperature while you’re there.
Modern smart thermostats take this idea to the next level. Many of them let you adjust and check the temperature in your house via your smartphone. Despite that, some smart thermostats are difficult to install if you don’t know what you’re doing. To avoid any mishaps, hire an HVAC contractor to properly install the new thermostat for you.
Turn On Your Ceiling Fan
Just because you have an HVAC system doesn’t mean that you have no use for ceiling fans. In fact, a ceiling fan can make a room feel up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. It’s perfect for homeowners in California who have to deal with hot summers and mild falls and winters. Along with reducing the temperature in a room, a ceiling fan uses only 10% of the energy that your HVAC system does.
Of course, a ceiling fan can do more than cool a room. It can circulate heat as well. Most ceiling fans have switches on the bases that change the direction that the fan blades spin. When you want cold air, set it to spin counterclockwise so that it pulls cold air from the ground and blows it back down.
If you set it to rotate clockwise, it will circulate warm air by pulling it off the ceiling and pushing it down. Remember, warm air rises and cold air falls. When your HVAC system is blowing out warm air, it tends to settle on the ceiling until it cools and falls. You can push that warm air down using your ceiling fan. This will reduce how hard your HVAC system has to work to warm your home.
Change the Air Filter for Your HVAC System Regularly
There’s some general upkeep that you can do on your HVAC system to ensure that it keeps working efficiently. While most of the work that it needs requires a professional touch, changing the HVAC air filter is something you can do yourself.
Replacing the air filter every three months makes it easier for your HVAC system to take in air. Because of that, it doesn’t have to work too hard to circulate air throughout your home. The U.S. Department of Energy says that cleaning the air filter every three months can lower your energy bills by as much as 15%.
Hire an HVAC Contractor to Keep Your System Running Smoothly
The majority of homeowners don’t think about hiring contractors to work on their HVAC systems until problems arise. By that time, the systems may have sustained serious damage. That’s why it’s important to schedule regular HVAC maintenance. Reach out to Palm Desert Air Conditioning and Heating Co. to learn more about our HVAC maintenance program.