The hot, humid Florida summers can often make it difficult to keep your home cool and comfortable. All of the heat and humidity also force your air conditioning to work harder and run longer, which can lead to huge monthly energy bills. The good news is that these simple tips can help to both keep your home cooler and lessen the load on your AC system, preventing your energy costs from soaring.
Keep Blinds and Curtains Closed Throughout the Day
Windows are typically the biggest contributor to heat gain in most homes. If your curtains, blinds, and other window coverings are left open during the day, the sun beaming in through your windows will quickly make your home hotter and force your AC to work much harder. Making sure your window coverings are closed during the day can make a huge difference as it will minimize the amount of heat gained from the windows so that your home’s temperature doesn’t rise so quickly. It will also help to lower your energy costs since your AC won’t have to turn on as frequently. You’re fine to open your curtains or blinds once the sun starts going down in the late afternoon or early evening, but it is always best to keep your windows covered during the hottest times of the day. UV film covering the windows can also be a good idea as it will also reduce the amount of heat that is transferred through them.
Use Ceiling Fans to Help You Stay Cool
Ceiling fans can be a huge help during the summer. When you have the fans spinning counterclockwise, they will force air down from the ceiling. This means the fans will create a breeze to help keep you cool. If you run the ceiling fans in your main living areas, you can usually keep the thermostat set to a slightly higher temperature as the fans will make it so you don’t feel as hot. Setting the thermostat to a higher temperature will always lower your cooling costs, and the ceiling fans will help make it so that your home still feels cool and comfortable.
Make Sure to Run Your Exhaust Fans
Bathing and cooking both produce lots of heat and humidity, and this can quickly raise your home’s temperature and force your AC to work harder. Running the exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen whenever bathing or using the stove or oven is important. Whenever the fan is on, it will draw all of the hot, moist air outside so that your home doesn’t heat up as much and your AC won’t have to turn on as often or run for as long of a time.
Always Keep Your Windows Closed
Shutting off your AC at night and opening a few windows may seem like a good way to reduce your energy costs. The issue in Florida is that opening your windows will also allow a huge amount of humidity inside your home. All of the humidity will then start to soak into your floors, walls, and furnishings, making it nearly impossible for your AC to keep your home dry, cool, and comfortable. The more humid your home is, the hotter it will feel. High indoor humidity will also put extra strain on your AC and make it so that the system cools more slowly. Studies have shown that the humidity gained from opening your windows will counteract whatever energy savings you gained by having your air conditioning turned off overnight since the system will have to work so much harder when it starts running the following day again. As such, you’re always better off keeping all windows closed in the summer except on much milder, less humid days.
Have Your AC System Professionally Maintained
One of the best things you can do to keep cool throughout the summer is to schedule an AC maintenance or tune-up service. This service includes a full inspection of your entire cooling system, which is vital for ensuring there are no issues that could decrease your air conditioning’s effectiveness or potentially cause the system to break down. When maintaining the system, the technician will also fully clean the entire outdoor unit as well as the AC blower and evaporator coil inside your home. This is also essential as dust and dirt can decrease the system’s effectiveness and may cause your AC to freeze up or start having various other issues.
By scheduling an AC maintenance service every spring, you can be sure that your air conditioning is functioning effectively and doesn’t need any repair work or have any major issues. A tune-up will also help improve the energy efficiency of your AC system so that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to keep your home cool.
At Ultimate Homes & Cooling, our team can take care of all of your AC needs so that you can stay cool and more comfortable this summer. We specialize in AC maintenance and repairs, and our technicians work on all types, brands, and models of central AC units and ductless air conditioners. We can also assist if you need AC installation or any other heating or indoor air quality service in the Cape Coral area. For more information or to schedule a maintenance appointment or any other AC service, contact us today.
