Before the blistering heat of summer begins, consider implementing these efficiency tips for your home that can help reduce cooling bills. They’re relatively inexpensive projects that might require the help of an expert, but these improvements are proven energy savers.
Install a programmable thermostat: This is especially important if you’re away on a routine basis. Each degree you raise on your thermostat during the summer can help you save more money. A programmable thermostat remembers to change the temperature for you, cooling your home just before you plan to arrive.- Have your air conditioning system tuned up. Of all the efficiency tips for your home, none pay off as much as having an HVAC professional clean, inspect and adjust your system. This way, your system won’t use as much energy and can avoid premature breakdowns.
- Use ceiling fans. Moving air helps you cool down more easily, especially in our dry climate. Unless your ceilings are wired and blocked for the weight of a fan, have a licensed electrician install them. Even small ceiling fans pose a hazard if they’re not wired and hung properly.
- Add insulation to the attic. Adequate insulation will keep your home cooler, since insulation slows the transfer of heat from the attic to your home. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests that homes in this region contain from 10 to 20 inches in the attic. If you opt for additional fiberglass insulation, more is better, since fiberglass batts don’t resist temperature change as well when temperatures climb over 100 degrees F.
- Improve attic ventilation. Consider adding mechanical attic ventilation to cut heat gain in the attic when temperatures quickly climb into the mid-100s during our Southwestern Arizona summers. Solar attic fans, turbines and powered fans exhaust excessively hot air with cooler outside air.
The pros at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company can help you cut your home’s energy costs, while increasing comfort. We’ve been providing trusted HVAC services for Yuma area homeowners since 1952.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy efficiency tips and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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