Portland, OR gets hot in the summer, and that means you’ll be running your air conditioner pretty much every day to keep cool. That process can be hindered by numerous misconceptions about how air conditioning works, which can end up costing you a great deal in wasted energy if you’re not careful. Clearing up those misconceptions is an ideal way to save money on your air conditioning bills this summer, as well as reducing the overall wear and tear on the system. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the more common fallacies out there and what you can do to combat them.
Don’t Run Your Air Conditioner All Day
Air conditioners used much more energy to turn on than to simply run. That often leads people to run them all day when they’re at work or school. “Why not turn it on in the morning, when rates are lower?” the logic goes. “And besides, it gives me a col house to come home to.” In point of fact, however, the cost of cooling an empty house is far greater than turning the air conditioner on later in the day, when you get home. Better yet, use your thermostat’s programming feature to start the air conditioner up 15-20 minutes before you get home,. Your house will be cool and you’ll save a great deal of money in the process.
Don’t Set the Thermostat Cooler than You’d Like
Many people believe that setting the thermostat to a lower temperature will release cooler air into your home and lower the temperature much more quickly. This is false. Air conditioners have two settings — on and off — and the thermostat merely determines how long the air conditioner runs to reach the desired temperature. Setting it lower than you want merely adds to the strain on the system and raises your bills accordingly.
Clean Air Act, Inc. can handle any air conditioning problems you may have!