When it comes to heating and cooling, Pittsburgh tends to get a mixed bag. But when it's hot and humid in the summer, you know your HVAC unit is working hard to keep you comfortable. But how do you lighten the load and lower your electric bill without compromising on comfort? Here are a few tips to help the process.
Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness of Your HVAC Unit: Summer Edition
- Maintain, maintain, maintain. The best way to keep your HVAC unit operating at peak efficiency it to make sure the maintenance schedule is attended to. One of the most common causes of
HVAC problems is a filter that has been left unchanged for far too long. This can cause poor air quality and cause your system to work too hard to move air through the dirty filter, leading to expensive repairs down the road. - Use your ceiling fans (and don't forget to switch them). A ceiling fan should be set to rotate counter-clockwise in the summer so that it blows air onto you. Why? Because that breeze keeps you cooler and allows you to set your air conditioner several degrees warmer than may otherwise be acceptable. Don't bother running them when nobody is in the room, though - the breeze cools you, not the air. If it's not rotating the right direction, there's a small switch on the fan body that will do the trick. Don't forget to turn it back in the fall when the heating season starts, because then it moves hot air down to the floor without chilling you out.
- Shut the shades. This is especially true on the west and south face of your home. By closing these window treatments, you help prevent solar heat gain in your home and keep your system from having to work as hard to cool your home. If you're looking at a home decor update, investigate insulating window treatments to lower your bills summer and winter.
If you try a few of these tips, you should see a correlating change in your utility bill, heat waves notwithstanding. If you need help implementing any of these tips or don't have the time to get it done, it's the right time to contact Stahl Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning. Our highly-trained professional service technicians are ready to help you get the most out of your HVAC unit while lowering your utility bills.