2 minute read
Cool Off Those Overheated Electric Bills
By Expert Contributor Len Sciulli, Co-Owner of Len Sciulli & Sons Heating & Air Conditioning
Summer’s here and you probably have already cranked up your air conditioning to cope with unseasonably hot days. Soon you’ll notice a spike in your monthly electric bill. The spike may be unnecessarily high due to various mistakes people make, including:
• Dirty filters. HVAC filters should be changed four times a year. Dirty filters restrict air flow, reducing efficiency and jacking up energy bills. Longer term, dirty filters contribute to equipment breakdown. Most filters are inexpensive and this is something most homeowners are capable of doing themselves, but surveys have found that fewer than half of them bother to do so.
• A common cause of air conditioners working too hard is open windows and screen doors while the air conditioning is on. Many people like to sleep with windows open during cool evenings, but forget to close the windows when they turn on the a/c during daytime. Or they fail to close them tightly. You can understand how this wastes money.
• Some homes feel like walking into a freezer. You are entitled to control your home’s climate to your personal comfort level. Just realize that each degree of temperature represents about 3% of energy consumption. Thus, if you raise the thermostat setting from 70 to 75, you will save about 15% on your energy bill.
• If you have to turn the thermostat down to feel comfortable, the problem may not be with your body, but refrigerant slowly leaking out of the system. A technician will know how to check for leaks and repair them in an environmentally safe manner.
• A simple energy saving tip is to keep shades and draperies drawn on the sunny side of the house. This can save 10-20% of the cost of cooling on a hot summer day.
• Dirt, leaves and other debris accumulates over time, reducing system efficiency and life span. Periodically throughout the summer, you should check for shrubbery growth around the outside condenser and keep it trimmed.
• Technicians frequently discover leaks in ductwork that often aren’t readily apparent to the untrained eye. Leaky ducts exposed to attics or outside air can have the same effect as an open window. They can be routinely detected and eliminated, reducing a home’s fuel consumption by as much as 20%.
We are all looking for a responsible and economical way to comfortably air-condition our homes. Employing smart energy steps as well as having maintenance performed on your equipment by a qualified technician will help you achieve this goal!
Len Sciulli & Sons Heating & Air Conditioning
Marple Newtown’s family owned and operated heating and cooling specialists for over 20 years • Fully licensed and insured • Residential and light commercial heating and cooling installation, service, and repair • 24-Hour Emergency Service Plans Available
