Inexpensive Ways to Cool Your Home This Summer

Homes on Florida’s Atlantic coast between Fort Pierce and Palm Beach use four times more energy for air conditioning compared with the national average. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to keep your home cool this summer. If you can boost your summertime energy savings, you can keep money in your pocket to use for more important or preferred expenditure.

Thermostat Settings for Summer

Raising your thermostat to 78 degrees is the easiest way to lower your energy bills during the hot months. At Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, we recommend setting the temperature to 82 degrees when you’re leaving the house. Each degree above 78 can lower your monthly power bill by five percent. If you find it difficult to cool your home, check if your filter needs to be cleaned or replaced. A dirty filter will reduce your air conditioner’s efficiency.

Our Favorite Cooling Tips

Ways to save energy and improve comfort involve looking around your home or analyzing how regular behavior could be contributing to heat gain. Simple changes can go a long way toward increasing comfort.

• Summer clothing should be light and loose. It’s also a good idea to avoid dark colors.
• Switch to lightweight bedding.
• Keep blinds and curtains closed.
• Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath to remove heat.
• Keep shrubs, weeds, and grass clippings away from the compressor.
• Invest in seasonal tune-ups.

Joining the Fan Club

Portable fans and ceiling fans can increase your comfort and energy savings this summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the wind chill can make a room feel four degrees cooler, so you can increase the thermostat setting without feeling a difference. Remember that the blades of your ceiling fan should be set to spin counterclockwise in the summer. To save energy, turn off the fan when you leave the room.

Choose a fan that is the right size for the room. Box fans and pole-mounted models are good for large rooms. Oscillating table fans can cool small spaces inexpensively.

If you’re interested in picking up more cooling tips, you can call our office, or you can review our energy-saving air conditioning services online. To reach the Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, LLC office in Fort Pierce, call (772) 905-3358. If you live near Palm Beach, call (561) 202-1422.

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