Comfort Starts at Home
How nice it feels to be in a cool room when the temperature is so hot outdoors. A cool room may be the best place to be during heat waves, especially when temperatures are at their highest. A few simple things can be done, such as routinely cleaning or replacing your AC Filters, which can help you stay cool as a cucumber without ramping up your energy use. If you feel you cannot cool your home sufficiently, contact Clarksville Heating & Air. We can look at your AC Unit to ensure it is running efficiently.
Optimize Your AC Unit
When possible with a new unit, position your unit north-facing or in a shaded area. In a climate that gets extremely hot, a unit that gets direct sun exposure will need to work much harder to cool your home. With that in mind, keep heat-emitting objects, such as computers, TVs, and lamps out of the line of the unit’s airflow.
Give Your AC Unit Some TLC
For a whole-house system air conditioning unit, use a licensed, certified AC Contractor who can check it every year to ensure your AC or heat pump system is running well.
Try Low-Tech Cooling Tactics and flip on a ceiling, portable, or window fan to stir up breezes that speed sweat evaporation, which will help you feel cooler. The Department of Energy says that a ceiling fan can make the temperature feel up to 4 degrees chillier. The Lancet Planetary Health in 2021 found that fans can offer relief 95% of the time when the temperature is between 98.6˚F and 102.2˚F. Window fans typically pull outside air in and circulate it, so they may be most effective at night.
Up Your Efficiency
To reduce your AC usage and still stay comfortable, use fans at the same time. Set the thermostat 1 to 2 degrees higher than you would otherwise with a fan on. Each degree higher your AC is set toward 78˚F can save up to 4 percent on your energy costs. A wiFi-enables smart thermostat, which allows you to manage your central AC via smartphone, may let you set different temperatures for different rooms and times of the day.
Buy Smart
Air conditioners with the Energy Star label are the most energy-wise and planet-friendly. Also, check for a high seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER), which tells you how efficient a central AC system is. Currently, the minimum rating is 14 SEER; some may go up to 21 SEER. It has been said that the higher the rating, the more you are likely to spend; however, the better the unit is and the more you will save every year!
