Summer weather in Des Moines can be a bear. But you don’t have to pick between being comfortably cool and saving money on your utility costs. We’ve put together some tips to make it easy.
The top thing you can do to stay comfy and ensure energy efficiency is by servicing your air conditioner. ENERGY STAR® suggests keeping your system running dependably and efficiently, and Heartland Heating & Cooling can help. During an AC tune-up appointment, we’ll complete the following tasks noted by ENERGY STAR and more:
- Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors to make sure there’s safe operation of your system and the possibility of a longer lifespan for major components.
- Clean the air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils as needed. Dirty coils require your system to run more often to do its job.
- Check system controls to make sure of proper and safe operation.
- Inspect refrigerant levels.
- Clean and adjust blower components to assure accurate system airflow.
Another critical piece to remaining cool is regularly looking at your air conditioner’s air filter. A dirty filter could boost energy costs and damage your equipment, which could lead to untimely failure. Our Heartland Heating & Cooling pros will check these for you at your tune-up appointment, but you’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to set up your own schedule to switch them out.
Here are a few other tips to keep your home comfy and energy-efficient:
- Look at thermostat settings to ensure your air conditioner keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are gone.
- If you find yourself cool at night, you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Let nature cool your house for you! In the morning, shut your windows and window coverings to hold on to the cool air and block the sun’s heat.
- Use fans to your advantage. An ENERGY-STAR ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat a tad higher than you regularly would without noticing any changes in your comfort level.
- Another style of fan people often forget about when they’re working to keep cool is their bathroom ventilation fan. Make certain to run yours when you shower as well as 20 minutes or longer after you’re done to get rid of the heat and humidity from your home.
- Avoid leaving lights on and running many appliances on the hottest days. Obviously, your stovetop and oven add heat into your home, but even routine activities like watching TV, working on the computer, and drying or curling your hair can boost the heat in your home.
If you’d like additional ideas on how to keep your home cool and energy efficient this summer, give Heartland Heating & Cooling at call at 515-344-3579 or request an appointment with us online.