Air conditioning comprises about 40 percent of energy consumption in most American homes. As such, cutting down on this cost can dramatically reduce your utility bills. Apart from the general maintenance of your AC system, like changing air filters, adjusting the thermostat, and plugging air leaks, there are improvements you can make to your house and environment to cut down on operational cost of your air conditioner.
1. Put Shades on Windows: one of the reasons most homes get too hot is because of the direct sunlight that enters the house through the windows. Shades on outside windows will prevent direct sunlight. You can also close curtains, but the effect will be limited.
2. Planting Trees: it is advisable to plant trees and shrubs on your property. This will prevent direct sun light from hitting your house, hence providing a cooling effect.
3. Light Colored Walls: light colors reflect light. You should paint your house with light colors and ensure the west side of the house is reflective. This will reduce your house cooling requirements.
4. Walls and Ceiling Insulation: this will ensure no heat penetrates through the wall or the roof. During the hot season, the roof absorbs a lot of heat and transmits that heat to the inside; insulation within the ceiling will prevent this. West side walls can be insulated to prevent transmission through conduction and convection.
5. Ventilation between Roof and Ceiling: to prevent heat from entering the house through the roof, you should ventilate the space between the ceiling and the roof. This ensures the hot air circulates above the ceiling hence keeping the house cool.
6. It has also been established that installing storm or double-glazed windows aid in reducing the amount of heat in your house.
If the house is under construction, the following tips will help you design and build a house that will save on air conditioning costs in the future.
1. Roof Overhang: your house should be designed in such a way that it has a wide roof overhang. This will help in shading; hence preventing direct light to the walls and windows.
2. Windows on the West Side: when designing and constructing your house, ensure there is very few or no windows on the west side. This will prevent direct rays that usually come from that direction.
3. Roofing: ask your contractor to use light or white colored roofing materials. This will reflect light as opposed to absorbing heat.
4. House Orientation: with the short of the house oriented to the west side, you will ensure that very few rays fall on the house walls. This reduces the amount of heat absorbed from direct light from the sun.
5. Insulation and Moisture Barriers: finally, installing moisture barriers and insulation in your house will reduce requirement of cooling system in your house hence less use of your AC unit.
On top of these measures, you should also shop wisely for your air conditioning unit. When buying a room air conditioner, ensure that you check the cooling power of the unit as well as its power consumption. Current high efficiency models are the best in low power consumption and is the industry standard.
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