McKinney Air Conditioning & Heating
Did you know that the heating system in your home uses more energy than any other system? In fact, it makes up about 42% of your utility bill (Energy.gov)! That can be a scary thought, especially when your air conditioner has already been on all summer from the Texas heat, costing you high energy bills.
If you feel like your heating and cooling bills have been going through the roof lately, it might actually be due to some mistakes you’ve been making with your home’s HVAC system. These 5 mistakes, in particular, tend to cost homeowners more money than necessary.
When you’ve come back home after a cold evening out or a hot day in the sun, it may sound tempting to turn your thermostat to an extreme temperature to get your HVAC system to warm or cool your home as fast as possible. This doesn’t actually help because your HVAC system only operates at one rate. If anything, most people forget that they’ve turned their thermostat way up or down and end up leaving it at these extreme temperatures longer than necessary, forcing their HVAC system to run longer.
Disregarding this simple step is a sure-fire way of increasing your utility bill. An air filter that gets too dirty and clogged with dust restricts an adequate amount of airflow from entering your HVAC system, which can keep the system from performing properly or even cause it to break down. Make sure to set a monthly or bi-monthly reminder to see if your filter is due for a change.
It’s easy to take your HVAC system for granted when it seems to be working, but if your AC or heater seems to be losing efficiency, the system is probably overdue for some maintenance. Just like cars, HVAC systems need to be regularly serviced to perform at their best.
You might think that when your AC is on, you can turn off the fans, but these two actually work better together. The ceiling fan will help the air conditioning work more efficiently by circulating the air around the room. You can even use your ceiling fans during winter to better circulate heat through a room by making the blades rotate clockwise.
Rather than turning your HVAC system off completely while no one is at home, it’s better to set your thermostat so that your system will come on every so often. That way your system won’t have to work as hard to keep your home at a consistent, comfortable temperature. Doing this with your AC during summer will also help reduce the humidity in your home.
Better yet, programmable thermostats allow you to set the temperature for various times throughout the day so that you can optimize your system’s schedule and your energy savings.
Choice Air Care is ready to assist you with any of your HVAC needs. Contact us online or give us a call at (972) 332-3927 to speak to one of our experts.