Summer weather in Erie can be rough. But you don’t have to make a choice between being comfortably cool and saving money on your utility bills. We’ve compiled some tips to make it easy.
The greatest thing you can do to stay comfortable and sustain energy efficiency is by maintaining your air conditioner. ENERGY STAR® says keeping your system operating reliably and efficiently, and Patterson & Stirling Inc is here to assist. During an AC tune-up appointment, we’ll perform the following tasks recommended by ENERGY STAR and more:
- Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors to ensure safe operation of your system and the possibility of a longer lifespan for major components.
- Clean the air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils as required. Dirty coils require your system to run more often to do its job.
- Check system controls to make sure of proper and safe operation.
- Look at refrigerant levels.
- Clean and adjust blower components to be sure of correct system airflow.
Another crucial piece to keeping cool is regularly inspecting your air conditioner’s air filter. A dirty filter could boost energy costs and damage your equipment, which could lead to premature failure. Our Patterson & Stirling Inc experts will inspect these for you at your tune-up appointment, but you’ll want to take a look at the manufacturer’s recommendations to arrange your own schedule to swap them out.
Here are a handul of other tips to keep your home cool and energy-efficient:
- Inspect thermostat settings to ensure your air conditioner keeps you comfy when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
- If it is cool at night, you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Let nature cool your home for you! In the morning, shut your windows and window coverings to retain the cool air and block the sun’s heat.
- Take advantage of fans. An ENERGY-STAR ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat a bit higher than you normally would without noticing any changes in your comfort level.
- Another type of fan people often forget about when they’re trying to keep cool is their bathroom ventilation fan. Be sure to run yours when you shower as well as 20 minutes or longer after you’re done to take care of the heat and humidity from your bathroom.
- Work to not leave lights on and running many appliances on the hottest days. Obviously, your stovetop and oven put heat into your home, but even routine activities like watching TV, working on the computer, and drying or curling your hair can up the heat in your home.
If you’d like more ideas on how to keep your home cool and energy efficient this summer, give Patterson & Stirling Inc at call at 814-308-0416 or request an appointment with us online.