With the summer here and temperatures rising, everyone is looking to stay cool while saving a little money over the next few months. But beware of cooling myths that can cost you in both comfort and cash. Here are a few common cooling myths that can leave you hot under the collar this summer:
- Turn the air conditioning off when you leave. Air conditioners have to work harder to lower the ambient temperature in a house that’s been allowed to cook all day, costing more energy, not less. A better answer is to install a programmable thermostat that can let the house stay at a manageable median temperature while you’re gone, then cool the house to the desired level right before you get back.
- Turning the thermostat down cools the house faster. Most air conditioning units can only move so much air at once. There are some specialized units that have variable output, but those models are the exception, not the rule. Setting the thermostat ten degrees lower doesn’t cool the house faster, it just means that the unit runs longer, and burns more energy.
- Closing vents on central air conditioning saves money. Since most central cooling and heating systems are designed as a whole-house solution, closing vents means part of the cooled air from the system isn’t delivered to a usable space. You still pay to cool the air you aren’t using, which wastes energy and lessens your own comfort.
- Leave the ceiling fan on to cool the air while you’re gone. Ceiling fans are great for making the air feel cooler with minimal energy outlay, but they don’t actually lower temperature. Leaving a ceiling fan on in an empty room just burns more energy without a tangible benefit. It’s better to turn it off.
- You need air conditioning to stay cool. Dampening a sheet and hanging it in front of a fan, wrapping your neck with a wet towel, or spritzing your face with water are great low-cost ways to stay cool.
Contact Around The Clock Air Conditioning & Heating for more tips on how to avoid cooling myths.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about cooling myths and other HVAC topics, downloadour free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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