The summer is officially here, which means it’s only a matter of time before the Tampa, FL weather becomes more hot and humid. To keep your home comfortable during the summer months, you may be tempted to keep the AC blasting all day, every day.
However, relying too heavily on your air conditioner will lead to excessively high energy costs and lots of wear and tear accumulating on the appliance. Fortunately, there are steps you can take as a homeowner to keep your household nice and cool without allowing your electricity bills to skyrocket. Here, we’ll look at a handful of the most effective tips for saving money while staying comfortable during the scorching Tampa summer.
1. Schedule AC Maintenance
Scheduling professional air conditioning maintenance is one of the most advantageous things you can do for your household cooling system. Ideally, you should schedule this vital service at least once per year, and the beginning of the summer is a perfect time to get it done.
During AC maintenance, your hired HVAC technician will thoroughly inspect your cooling system and check for any parts that need to be adjusted, repaired, or replaced. They’ll also make any necessary fixes that can improve the performance and energy efficiency of the appliance. Professional AC maintenance can offer several major benefits, including:
- More reliable cooling
- Improved energy efficiency
- Reduced household humidity
- Lower risk of equipment problems
- Improved indoor air quality
If you schedule air conditioning maintenance at the start of the summer, it will ensure that your AC unit is running at peak performance during the hottest time of the year. In the greater Tampa area, our expert technicians at Protek Roofing, Heating, Air & Solar are always available to take care of your AC maintenance needs.
2. Replace Your AC Air Filter
When your household air conditioner has a clean air filter, it’s much easier for the appliance to do its job efficiently. If you wait too long to replace that filter, it will eventually become clogged with dirt, dust, and other contaminants. When that happens, it becomes more difficult for the system to pull air through the filter, which can worsen its energy efficiency and increase the likelihood of an equipment issue.
It’s important to replace your AC air filter or at least check to make sure that it’s still relatively clean at least once every few months. You’ll want to check your filter more often if you have pets. Doing so will save you money on cooling costs and help keep your home nice and comfortable this summer.
3. Have Your Air Ducts Inspected and Cleaned
Whenever your AC unit is circulating cool air, it must pass through your household air ducts before reaching the different parts of your home. Over time, though, those ducts can become packed with contaminants, including dust, dirt, mold, and even pest droppings. This problem gets worse if there are cracks, holes, or loose joints in the ducts, allowing contaminants in.
In addition to worsening your indoor air quality and filling your home with unpleasant odors, those contaminants can constrict airflow. As a result, its energy efficiency and overall performance can suffer. For this reason, it’s important to have your air ducts professionally cleaned at least once every few years. If you haven’t scheduled this service in multiple years, doing so before the summer weather rolls in could help you ensure a comfortable, frugal summer. At Protek Roofing, Heating, Air & Solar, we offer quality air duct cleaning in the greater Tampa area.
4. Keep Air Vents Clean and Clear
After the cool air from your AC unit passes through your ductwork, it must flow through your home’s air vents to reach the different rooms of your household. Much like your ducts, your air vents can accumulate various contaminants over time. And if an air vent is packed with dust and dirt, it will be significantly harder for your AC unit to consistently push air through during the summer months.
Fortunately, cleaning your household air vents is a quick and simple task. For each vent in your home, simply remove the protective cover panel with a screwdriver. Next, use the extension hose of a vacuum cleaner to suck out the contaminants from the vent’s interior. It’s best to clean your vents once every couple of months.
Also, keep furniture, clutter, and anything else that can block airflow away from vents. When vents are closed or blocked, the AC system has to work harder to keep you cool.
5. Utilize Fans
Although it feels nice to keep the air conditioning on during the sweltering summer, finding other ways to keep cool may be beneficial—at least some of the time. One good option is to invest in one or more household fans. Typically, fans tend to be relatively inexpensive to purchase, and they do a solid job of keeping small areas of your home cool without using nearly as much energy as an air conditioner.
If there are one or two rooms in your house where you spend the majority of your time, setting up fans in those areas could allow you to save some money without needing to sacrifice your comfort. Whether you go with ceiling, box, or tower fans is completely up to you, but they will all be helpful.
6. Invest in a Programmable or Smart Thermostat
If you don’t already have a smart thermostat, then you’re potentially missing out on significant energy savings as well as other notable benefits. Programmable thermostats allow you to program your HVAC system to significantly reduce wasted energy. For example, if you leave for work at the same time each day, you can set up your AC unit to shut off at that time automatically.
A smart thermostat can take the savings even further. Many models can track your household’s energy usage, making it easier to identify areas where you’re wasting money and make the necessary improvements. They can learn your patterns to automatically make adjustments that reduce energy use while keeping you comfortable.
7. Seal Household Air Leaks
Although you may not realize it, there could be many small air leaks around your household. During the hot summer, these leaks can allow warm air to seep into your living space and cold air from your air conditioner to escape.
Before the summer weather fully kicks into gear, consider searching your home for any leaks and sealing those that you find. You’ll most commonly find these openings around the edges of windows and doors. If you find any gaps, you should be able to effectively seal them yourself with some caulking and weather stripping from the local hardware store.
When you need reliable household services in the greater Tampa area, you can always depend on our skilled professionals at Protek Roofing, Heating, Air & Solar. We offer expert services, including heating, air conditioning, roofing, duct cleaning, solar, and insulation. We strive to provide world-class customer service, exceptional craftsmanship, and clear communication whenever we take on a project. If you’d like to learn more or schedule an appointment, give us a call at Protek Roofing, Heating, Air & Solar today!
