While having a functioning HVAC unit is one of the many modern marvels we appreciate and take advantage of, it can be a sort of necessary evil. The benefits one offers are essential to a comfortable home here in East Florida, but on the other side of that coin, we have to pony up the money to pay for that comfort when the energy bill rolls in each month. But, as we said, there isn’t really another choice. You can either get rid of your HVAC unit completely or set aside a significant amount of money for the bill – two less-than-great choices!
Hold your horses: there’s a third option, and it occupies a happy middle ground between the two extremes. By finding the best ways to optimize HVAC usage in your home, you can continue enjoying the cool temperatures that make it possible to enjoy our great state’s weather, all without shoveling piles of money to the utility company. Let Freedom Air and Heat guide you through a few efficient ways you can get the most out of your AC, and do it quickly!
If you’d prefer to just let the professionals implement a comprehensive cooling solution instead, or if you’re just interested in what else is out there, get in touch with us!
HVAC Overnight Energy Saving Tips
1. Partake in Preventative Maintenance
One of the best things you can do to keep your HVAC unit chugging along is to do something that you might think would be counterproductive – having a technician come out and work on it. This is something you only do when a component breaks, right? Well, in a worst-case scenario, yes. But those visits usually mean you’re about to drop a fear-inducing amount of money on a repair or replacement, and they’re not fun.
But by having someone come out roughly once a year and perform preventative maintenance on your HVAC unit, he’ll be able to catch the smaller problems that might end up becoming those larger repairs down the road. You’ll avoid those exorbitant costs, and the technician will optimize your unit to run more efficiently.
2. Pivot to Programmable Thermostats
Another way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your HVAC unit is by switching your thermostat to a programmable version. Typical thermostats operate on a whole-home basis, meaning that whatever setting you’ve chosen is the level the HVAC unit will cool or heat the entire house. This ends up costing quite a bit of energy to complete, even more if your home is larger.
A programmable thermostat circumvents that process by allowing you to schedule certain temperatures for different times of day. Gone most of the day while at work and the kids are at school? No problem. The HVAC won’t kick the temperature on to where you want it until the schedule tells it to, saving you money.
3. Forget the Old Fan Setting
It might seem like it makes sense to run your HVAC fan on “ON” all the time, but the opposite is true. By switching it to “AUTO,” you allow the HVAC unit to funnel out the hot air it has drawn in, which isn’t the case when it’s set to “ON” all the time. An “AUTO” setting means the fan only activates when it’s needed, blowing the cool air you want instead of recycling hotter air all day.
These steps are simple but effective ways to make sure you get the most out of your HVAC unit, especially in the summer. We at Freedom Air and Heat are committed to making sure you and your family are comfortable year-round, and we welcome questions and comments. Whether you want to learn more about how to optimize your HVAC unit, schedule some preventative maintenance or anything else, give us a call at 321-631-6886!
