It’s Getting Hot Outside: Is Your A/C Ready to Keep You Cool This Summer?
It is safe to say global warming has been making its impact felt this year.
In addition to the unseasonably warm spring temperatures – what Environment Canada has been calling a “dress rehearsal” for summer – the summer heat has now arrived.
The first week of summer has already made news headlines with temperatures routinely increasing above the 32C mark.
With rainfall forecasted to be below average at the same time temperatures are forecasted to be above average, it is shaping up to be a long, hot and dry summer season indeed….a summer some are calling the main event for the “hottest year ever” here in Canada and globally.
Suffice it to say this is not the time to ease up on air conditioning preventative and routine maintenance. You want your A/C unit to be ready to bring its A-game as summer continues to roll in.
These timely tips can ensure your air conditioner will deliver when you need it to the most. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your own air conditioning maintenance, please contact our team of technicians – we offer 24/7 emergency repairs!
The A/C Tune-Up That More Than Pays for Itself
The average cost of a preventative maintenance tune-up for your air conditioner is around $125.
With hydro costs on a continual upward trend, it can easily cost $90+ per month (all fees included) to run your air conditioner during the hot season, meaning you are easily looking at $270 for a summer of cool.
Annual preventative air conditioner maintenance typically takes less than one hour to complete.
Simply changing out the air filter can trim up to 15 percent off your summer A/C bill, which in our example here would be about $40 per month or $120 for three months.
You can readily tack on another 5-10% energy savings from cleaning the coils, blower motor and fan components, air registers and exhaust vents, which is another $13-$26 per month, or $39 to $78 for the summer.
It’s easy to see how you are already well past the break-even point in terms of summer energy savings by scheduling your preventative maintenance A/C tune-up at the start of the summer season.
Referring back to our math example, let’s see exactly how this works out:
- We started with an average summer energy bill of $270 ($90/month), or $270/three months.
- Thanks to $120 worth of A/C preventative maintenance, we have now knocked off between $133 and $198 in energy costs by increasing the efficiency of your A/C operation.
- So you are in the black with a net estimated savings of between $8 and $13 – and that is before factoring in any additional energy-saving adjustments you may choose to make, which is exactly what we will talk about next!
4 Energy-Saving Tips to Keep Your Home and Your Wallet Cool
With the hot summer season already at hand, it feels like the perfect moment for a refresher course on the best energy-saving tips to keep your home or workplace cool without heating up your finances.
1. Use a programmable thermostat.
We rarely encounter an air conditioner today that doesn’t have either an inbuilt programmable thermostat or the ability to work with a third party smart thermostat.
A programmable thermostat is your number one defence against spending money to cool an empty home. The Department of Energy (DOE) states that you can save an average of 10 percent on annual energy bills simply by programming yours.
Using our same math example from earlier, this would translate into an additional cost savings of $27/month or $81/three month period.
2. Keep that air filter clean.
We already know that just changing out your air filter before it gets clogged can net you an average of 15% savings on energy bills.
With our example from above, this is where you see the savings of $40/month or $120/three months.
3. Use fans for better air circulation and ventilation.
Using a ceiling or floor fan (NOT your A/C unit’s internal fan) can boost what the DOE calls the “wind chill factor” by up to four degrees.
This basically means that you can use your programmable thermostat to raise the temperature setting four degrees higher than what you would otherwise need in order to stay cool.
Each one of those degrees represents about a three percent savings on energy costs – so a four-degree increase represents a 12% savings.
This in turn represents around $12/month in savings, or $36 in savings over three months.
4. Keep those blinds and draperies closed.
If there is one big no-no during the hot summer months, it is paying to cool your home only to increase your air conditioner’s workload by 76% when you leave the blinds open.
The DOE estimates that 76 percent of incoming sunlight transfers into your home as heat energy.
So then your air conditioner has to crank up yet again and work even harder to reduce the temperature inside your space.
Using our math example from here earlier, tacking on an extra 76 percent cooling load translates into an additional $68 in a/c bills each month or $205 in energy costs for the three month hot season.
In contrast, it takes but a moment to draw the blinds or the drapes closed and keep all that heat energy out and the cool air in.
Get in Touch
Did you know that HVAC, electrical and plumbing services have all been deemed essential during the stay at home order here in Ontario? Our technician teams have been busy servicing air conditioners in the Hamilton region since the heat of summer first kicked in!
If you are ready toschedule your air conditioner preventative maintenance tune-up appointment, we are available with contact-less invoicing and payment options to serve you.
To save even more over the long-term, consider enrolling in one of our money and time-saving preventative maintenance plans.
Give us a call at 1-905-549-4616 or visit us online if we can be of service to you during this difficult time.
