Whew! Another hot summer for us folks in Calgary. To keep your house livable, you need to run the air conditioning pretty well all the time… but those electricity bills are killers!
Wouldn’t it be great if you could save some money on your air conditioning bill but still enjoy your home in comfort? You can.
Just follow these 6 simple energy-saving tips and cut back your AC costs this summer.
1. Perform Yearly Air Conditioning Maintenance
Did you know that your air conditioner works harder if its components aren’t taken care of properly? And the harder the AC works, the more electricity it gobbles. Save electricity and money by scheduling professional maintenance every year to get your air conditioner ready for summer.
Your HVAC technician will take good care of your cooling system, inspecting, cleaning, tuning up — and repairing, if necessary. The happy results: your air conditioning will run better and run up less of an energy bill. It’ll last longer, too!
2. Set Your Thermostat At The Proper Temperature
Your air conditioner will also burn more energy if you set it way, way down to almost freezing. That’s why adjusting the temperature upward is your next money-saving step. Natural Resources Canada recommends a daytime setting of 25-27° Celsius — 28 degrees at night or when your house is empty longer than 4 hours.
The goal here is a home that’s comfortable rather than downright chilly. Some household members might object, so try making the change gradually till you find an air conditioner temperature you all can live with.
3. Invest in a Smart Thermostat
Control AC temperature uber-conveniently with a smart thermostat, even when you’re on the go. For example, if you see you’ll be returning from work later than usual, you can use your phone and “tell” the smart thermostat to turn down the temperature to suit your revised schedule. And that’s just for starters. These thermostats are designed to fine-tune your HVAC system by “learning” your daily routine and temperature preferences, as well as taking into account the local weather forecast.
You can look forward to substantial energy savings, which will make your smart thermostat installation well worth its initial cost.
4. Make Sure Your AC Is The Right Size
Before you invest in a new air conditioner, make sure you’re getting the right size for your home. Why is that so important? If your cooling system is too small, it will run constantly but never get your home quite comfortable. On the other hand, an oversized AC will cool your rooms down fast — so fast that it won’t have time to dehumidify the interior air adequately. You’ll be left hot and sticky, with a burning desire to crank up the air conditioning as far as it will go.
The best heating and cooling pros will never guestimate. Instead, they’ll use a precise load calculation to determine the best size AC for your home.
5. Maintain Proper Humidity Levels
Speaking of humidity, the ideal summertime relative humidity inside your home is 30 to 45 percent. Anywhere above that, and you’ll feel like you’re inside your own private sauna. As we mentioned above, a correctly sized AC will control indoor humidity … to a certain amount. However, as Canadian homes become better insulated and more energy-efficient, we tend to run our air conditioners (with their built-in dehumidifiers) less. That might make installing a separate dehumidifier an excellent way to enhance your comfort.
6. Is Your AC In The Right Location?
Yes, the physical location of your air conditioner can help improve its performance and reduce your energy bills. The outdoor unit should be installed in a shady spot, out of direct sunlight. Indoors, take care not to block the air conditioning vents with drapes or furniture. There’s a right and a wrong way to position the thermostat as well: for accurate readings, it should be about 1 ½ metres above floor level and away from sources of strong heat.
How Much Does Air Conditioning Cost A Month?
Find out the real cost of all that air conditioning. Then track your energy bills as you take one or more of these energy-wise steps. You’ll literally be able to see how much all your effort is saving you.
Here’s how to figure out the cost of your central air conditioning system every month:
Multiply the system cooling capacity in KWh X the cost per kWh. The result = cost per hour to run your AC.
Now multiply the cost per hour X the number of hours per month you use the air conditioning. The result = your monthly cost for AC.
Cut Air Conditioning Costs With Knight
Try a few of the tips listed above to save money on air conditioning in Calgary, no matter how hot it gets this summer. Knight will help! Contact us for AC repair or maintenance, and professional advice on air conditioner replacement.
Jonas M. was very satisfied with our thermostat replacement service — so much so that he joined our Knight HVAC Protection Plan and wrote the following Review on Google:
My first time to seek their service. I requested to replace my thermostat since it’s not working well. Their technician Brandon came in and offered me three models of thermostat. He’s excellent in explaining what the unit do. And he installed so easy the unit I chose. He offered also how to become a KPM member and how to get a 10% discount on their services. And I signed up to become a member. I recommend this company for any heating, plumbing, etc. you may need. Thanks Brandon. See you next time.
So talk to the pros at Knight. We’ll keep you cool and comfortable while cutting your electricity bills.