Myth: Turning the air conditioning to super cold will speed up your cooling time.
While it might feel cooler, the total time it takes to cool down your house is based on the temperature of the warm air, and it will take the same amount of time to get to 70 degrees no matter what you set the thermostat at. Either way you just have to wait for things to cool down.
Myth: Turning off the A/C when you're out will reduce the bill.
Cooling down a hot house takes a large amount of energy, so letting things heat up during the day doesn't help. A better option is to consider a programmable thermostat with zone control, which will adjust your temperature throughout the day to give you the biggest savings.
Myth: Ceiling fans keep empty rooms cool.
Ceiling fans keep cool people by creating a breeze, not by creating cold air. While this is a great way to help cool people in conjunction with A/C, it doesn't create a lasting effect in an empty room.
Myth: Shutting vents will make your system run more efficiently.
Shutting vents in a standard system will only help to cool the inside of the vents in those rooms. Instead use a zone air conditioning system if you want to control conditioned air in various rooms. If a zone system is not in your range, try a ductless mini-split. A mini-split is one of the most efficient ways to cool one room at a time.
Whether it's by tuning up your existing system, upgrading your home cooling, or starting fresh with a brand new setup - there are multiple ways to save energy with air conditioning. Contact Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating, & Air Conditioning for all your summer energy savings questions in the Route 495/128 area of Massachusetts.
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