Tips to Help You Stay Cool and Energy Efficient Throughout Summer

August 17, 2017

Summer weather in Newton can be brutal. But you don’t have to make a choice between being comfortably cool and saving money on your utility expenses. We’ve assembled some tips to make it easy.

The greatest thing you can do to stay cool and sustain energy efficiency is by maintaining your air conditioner. ENERGY STAR® says keeping your system operating at its best and efficiently, and Brookwood Inc is able to help. During an AC tune-up appointment, we’ll complete the following tasks suggested by ENERGY STAR and more:

  • Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors to make sure there’s safe operation of your system and the chance of a longer lifespan for major components.
  • Clean the air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils as needed. Dirty coils require your system to run harder to do its job.
  • Check system controls to ensure proper and safe operation.
  • Look at refrigerant levels.
  • Clean and adjust blower components to ensure accurate system airflow.

Another crucial piece to staying cool is routinely checking your air conditioner’s air filter. A dirty filter can boost energy bills and damage your equipment, leading to premature failure. Our Brookwood Inc experts will inspect these for you at your tune-up appointment, but you’ll want to check the manufacturer’s recommendations to set up your own schedule to switch them out.

Here are a handul of other tips to keep your home comfortable and energy-efficient:

  • Check thermostat settings to be sure your air conditioner keeps you cool when you are home and saves energy while you are not around.
  • If you find yourself cool at night, you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Let nature cool your home for you! In the morning, shut your windows and window coverings to trap the cool air and block the sun’s heat.
  • Utilize fans. An ENERGY-STAR ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat a bit higher than you regularly would without noting any changes in your comfort level.
  • Another type of fan people often forget about when they’re attempting to keep cool is their bathroom ventilation fan. Make sure to run yours when you shower as well as 20 minutes or longer after you’re done to remove the heat and humidity from your bathroom.
  • Work to not leave lights on and running many appliances on the hottest days. Obviously, your stovetop and oven are adding heat into your home, but even everyday activities like watching TV, working on the computer, and drying or curling your hair can up the heat in your home.

If you’d like additional ideas on how to keep your home cool and energy efficient this summer, give Brookwood Inc at call at 641-316-9803 or request an appointment with us online.