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Easy Steps to Lower Your Cooling Bills

2. Ask your AC contractor to perform an Infiltrometer “blower door” test. The blower door is a computerized instrument originally invented by the Department of Energy. It pinpoints where your home’s worst air leaks are, such as duct leaks, and also measures how leaky the overall house is. Many homes have significant air leaks into the attic: hot dusty air often gets drawn in through recessed can lights and pulled down stairs. New sealing products are available to fix these significant leaks. Many AC contractors offer an Infiltrometer test as part of a “Whole House Health & Comfort Checkup” that also checks insulation levels and overall duct performance.

3. Close your fireplace damper. Did you remember to close it last time you used the fireplace? Shut it now or waste precious cool air all summer long!

4. Replace your air conditioner or heat pump air filter. Most systems need this done every month to ensure safe and efficient operation. Keep forgetting to do it? Ask your AC contractor for information on an extended surface area whole-house air filter that only needs to be replaced once a year. It also does a far better job of keeping your equipment and the air in your home clean.

5. Have your air conditioner cleaned and tuned. A pre-season tune-up is a great investment. It reduces the chances of breakdowns in the middle of summer and more than pays for itself through more energy efficient operation. Make sure the AC contractor cleans both the indoor and outdoor heat transfer coils, and checks refrigerant gas charge by measuring “superheat” or “subcooling.”

6. Consider replacing your old air conditioner or heat pump. Just like a car, central cooling equipment doesn’t last forever. Is your system more than 12 years old? Planning to stay in your home more than a few years? Many authorities recommend replacing it before it fails permanently. A new system improves comfort, is more dependable and creates less air pollution. New units are up to twice as energy efficient, which saves money on your monthly electric bills.

However, government and utility research has found that more than 90 percent of newly installed high efficiency systems have energy wasting mistakes. Do some homework before talking to contractors. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov and www.comfortinstitute.org. Print out the free Comfort Institute reports “Tips and Secrets To Buying A New Heating and Cooling System” and “How To Identify a Good Heating and Cooling Contractor.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent
 

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Comfort Institute, Inc., is an international indoor comfort research, training and consumer protection organization based in Bellingham, Wash., with trainers and offices located throughout the United States and Canada.

This article is available in Microsoft Word at www.comfortinstitute.org, “Media Support.” Photos are available to accompany this story. For more information, visit the Web site or contact Brendan Reid, senior researcher at (613) 723-2453 or by e-mail: breid@comfortinstitute.org.
 

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