Charlotte has long, hot summers and cool winters, which means we see high air conditioning bills followed by heating costs every year. On top of that, many Charlotte homes are older which can make energy costs excessive. Here are four ways you can cut down your energy costs, from simple tricks to basic HVAC repair in Charlotte, NC.
1. Have your air conditioner checked by a professional. Because we pride ourselves on providing quality HVAC repair in Charlotte, we can tell you what a difference proper maintenance makes for efficiency in running your heating or air conditioning. Some steps are easy and you can take them yourself, like changing your filter once a month. Other steps, however, require a professional eye. For example, a professional HVAC repairman can determine whether your ducts are leaking, which bleeds hot or cold air into the attic while making the unit work far harder to keep your home at the temperature you want. Call on us to come out and do a general checkup and maintenance on your furnace and air conditioner and you’re likely to see big energy savings.
2. Put air conditioning on a timer. Getting a thermostat with a timer option is cheap, often less than $30, but most people never take this small step to save money on their energy bills. Most of us are away from the house at the same time every day, at least on weekdays. There’s really no reason to pay to cool your house during those hours—which are often the hottest part of midday. Set your timer so the air conditioner comes on in the morning, turns off when you go to work, and kicks back on an hour before you get home. For the biggest savings have it turn off again at night, when the air is naturally cooler.
3. Close those curtains. It’s a small step, but it really does work. Heavy curtains, drapes, shades or blinds both keep cool air in the house and deflect sunlight that would otherwise warm your interior. Keep them closed and see your bills plummet.
4. Energy Star. If all else fails, consider new heating and cooling appliances that are Energy Star rated to save energy and thus money.
These are just four easy ways to help keep your energy bills down, especially in the summer when it matters most. But there are other ways too—what do you do to save money on energy?
