Six Energy Saving Tips for a Cool, Comfortable Summer In Lexington

Summer in Lexington often means high utility bills from keeping your home cool.  Here are some free or inexpensive ways to make sure you don’t pay more than you need to this summer while you run your cooling system.

Insulation – In colder months, it’s easy to tell where the insulation in your home is lacking.  Drafty windows and doors leave you with a chill.  In the summer though, it’s not as obvious that cool air is escaping through the same spots.  Visually inspect around windows, doors, and any pipe penetrations leading outside. Seal up weak seals with weather stripping or caulking.

Windows – Windows are a powerful tool to cool your home off after a long, hot day.  Average nighttime lows in the summer in Lexington are around 65 degrees.  Take advantage of this temporary dip in temperatures to let the warm air out of your house and cooler air in.  Turn off the A/C before you go to bed and open the windows.  Be sure to shut the windows and close any blinds after waking in the morning to trap in the cool air.

Fans – Using a ceiling fan in conjunction with your air conditioning system can allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4 degrees Fahrenheit without noticing a difference in comfort.  Have the ceiling fan on when you are using a room, but turn them off as soon as you leave.  Fans create a wind chill effect, which means they cool people, not rooms.

Other Heat Sources – Lights and ovens can add a lot of unnecessary heat inside the home.  Only use lights when warranted and consider more efficient lighting options that don’t release as much energy via heat.  Also, rely on your grill, microwave and stove to do the cooking instead of your oven.

Thermostat – A thermostat can help you keep everything in check when cooling your home in the summer.  Use these tricks to get the most out of it:

• 78 degrees is the optimal thermostat setting for summer savings, according to Energy.gov. Real savings are to be had by decreasing the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures.
• When you are away, set the house temperature even higher.
• Consider a programmable thermostat if you don’t already have one to make managing the summer heat cycles easy and automatic.

Maintenance – Lastly, get your system inspected and cleaned every year.  Light maintenance and cleaning all of the dust from the coils and filters can bring dividends through higher efficiency.

Contact Climate Control of Lexington today to schedule a visit from one of our experts to maintain your air conditioning system for peak performance.