If you cool your home or apartment with an air conditioning unit, here are a few tips that will help you make more efficient use of the appliance, resulting in lower energy costs and more efficient disbursement of the cool air.
Don’t make the mistake of buying a bigger unit with the impression that bigger will automatically be better. In fact, a room air conditioner that is too big for the area it is supposed to control will perform less efficiently. Cooling units work better if they are operated for longer periods of time than if they are switched on and off continuously. In fact, longer run times allow air conditioners to better control the room temperature.
Also:
Change your air filter. Dealing with indoor air quality most effectively means filtering or cleaning all the air in your home.
Don’t try to offset your home’s temperature by drastically lowering your thermostat. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.
Using an interior fan in conjunction with your air condition will spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing the energy usage levels.
Avoid placing lamps or television sets near your air conditioning thermostat, as it will sense the heat produced by these appliances, leading the unit to run longer than necessary, and at lower efficiency.
If you have access to the part of the air conditioning unit that is placed outdoors, consider planting trees or shrubs to shade it, but be careful not to block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as ten percent less electricity than one operating in the direct sun.
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