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How to Give Your Air Conditioner a Break This Summer

Man in front of a fan

If we could keep our air conditioners running at full blast all day, we would. Of course, for most of us, that’s simply not possible—the costs of running an AC day or night are far too high. It’s not too great for the environment, either, and you could quickly wear down your air conditioner and require a replacement before you know it.

From time to time, it’s important to give your air conditioner a break. Let the components have a rest so that you can keep your equipment longer. Besides, who doesn’t want to save money on their energy bills? Here are our tips for staying cool while letting your AC have a bit of a rest.

Stay Cool in Other Ways

There are plenty of other ways to stay cool without running the air conditioner day and night at a low setting that raises your bills. Of course, you know that you can wear lightweight cotton clothing to help yourself stay cool. You should drink plenty of water, and cool down from time to time with a cool washcloth or compress.

You can also keep windows open at night, but close the shades when the sun is out to keep out some of that radiant heat. Having shading around the home—like awnings, particularly near windows with southern and western exposures, can help to significantly cut back on solar heat gain.

Use the Programming Options on Your Thermostat

Your thermostat is programmable for a reason (and if not, you should schedule a thermostat upgrade!). However, there are many people who don’t really know how to use the programmable settings on their own thermostats properly. This is an invaluable skill.

Consult your thermostat manual, do an online search, or call a technician to be sure you are using your programmable thermostat properly. You can typically make a couple of automatic adjustments throughout the day, and perhaps set a separate schedule on weekends or even throughout the week. Our suggestions?

  • Keep the thermostat at 77-78 degrees throughout the day when people are home (unless you have to make an adjustment for seniors or small children).
  • Set the AC to raise its temperature by 10 degrees when people are away or asleep.
  • Have the settings automatically readjust to your preferences 20-30 minutes before you plan to arrive home.

Use High-Heat Appliances at Night

We know it’s rough, but your oven simply should not be on in the day time when it’s particularly hot outside. It adds unnecessary heat that makes your air conditioner work a lot harder than it needs to. Instead, use high-heat appliances like your oven, dishwasher. And clothes dryer at night. Try making some creative salads, sandwiches, and pan-cooked meals instead!

Turn on a Fan

A fan alone cannot cool a room. When you leave a room, you should always turn off ceiling fans and standing fans, as they really only use up energy. However, your air conditioner can benefit from keeping a fan on in a room that is occupied. You might even be able to turn up the temperature on your thermostat by several degrees.

Fans help your body to evaporate moisture, which is what you need to keep cool. At night, open up windows to create a cross breeze that pairs with your fan, and you may be able to shut off the AC altogether.

For air conditioning service in Miami, FL, you can trust the pros at Air On Demand.

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