With temperatures spiking in the coming weeks, Buckeye Heating & Cooling wants to remind you to save money by using energy sparingly. The key to staying cool during the hot summer months while being as energy-efficient as possible is to be sure your air conditioning unit is the right size for your home.
The Right AC
AC units that are too large for the home they are installed in will turn on, cool the space quickly, and just as quickly shut down. Then, as the building heats up again, the AC will turn back on. This process will go on indefinitely. It is extremely inefficient and it’s hard on your system. It stresses the ducts and drives your living spaces to extremes of hot and cold over and over. An AC sized correctly for your home will keep the temperature at a comfortable equilibrium without the jolting stops and starts that really inflate your electricity bills.
The Right Ventilation
There are three types of ventilation: controlled, uncontrolled and passive, and it’s a difference that can shrink the size of your utility bills this coming summer. You may have the right amount of insulation and a correctly sized AC, and you may be doing everything possible to save energy. But if you have a problem with uncontrolled ventilation, otherwise known as air leaks, it will make your home less comfortable and more expensive to cool on hot afternoons.
The Benefits of Passive Ventilation
Sealing up all the uncontrolled ventilation will take you halfway to a cooler, more cost-effective home. The most desirable type of ventilation is passive ventilation. It’s the most cost-effective because it does not use power to move air. Passive ventilation relies on the natural movement of the air around the building and the shape of the building itself to move air into one window and out another. Some houses are better at moving air naturally than others. You will need to do some experimentation with your windows and doors to find which combination of open and closed windows moves air through your house the best. A house with more than one floor can take advantage of the tendency of hot air to rise by opening upstairs windows and a downstairs window. This will suck cool air in through the lower floor and push hot air out the upstairs window.
Evaporation Cooling
Evaporative cooling systems move hot air through a moistened heat exchanger and blow the cooled air into the house. Sometimes called “swamp coolers,” these can be an inexpensive way to cool your home, but they are not ideal in every climate and require a lot of maintenance as well as a constant stream of water in order to work.
Consult Your AC Professionals at Buckeye
The expert technicians at Buckeye are always standing by to answer your questions about keeping your home cool and comfortable this summer without breaking the bank. They can help you to find the right AC equipment, seal up those uncontrolled ventilation points and make cooling your home less expensive than ever.