Keep Your Home Electric Bill Down While Running Your A/C in the Phoenix Heat

In Phoenix, Arizona it’s a given that you will need to run an air conditioner for many months of the year. When the temperatures hover in the triple digits for days on end, your home air conditioning in your home is one of the few things that keeps Phoenicians from permanently fleeing to cooler climates. Having an energy efficient AC unit is one of the best ways to keep home electricity costs down when running the unit around the clock. For many, upgrading isn’t a cost effective option, but when it’s time to replace your home’s air conditioning unit, it’s best to consult your local electrician to help you find the most energy efficient model for your home and the area that it will need to be cooling down.

That aside, here are five tips, from the home electrical system experts at Cirtcele Electric for ways to save money on your home electric bill:

1. Make certain the air filter is clean. Regardless of whether you have a window air conditioner or central air, dirty filters reduce the efficiency of the unit. Check the filter on a monthly basis and plan to change it at least quarterly to keep it operating at optimal levels.
2. Use a programmable thermostat. Set the thermostat to a lower temperature when you’re at work during the day and when you’re sleeping at night. Turn it up when you’re home, awake and active. Setting the temperature at 78 degrees is typically a comfortable setting.
3. How much do you need to cool? Do you need central air? Are there a few rooms in the house that you’d prefer to cool rather than the whole house? Cooling a room down with a window air conditioner uses less energy and is less expensive than a central air system. Also, choose an air conditioner to “fit” the room – you don’t need the biggest one on the market to cool a small room.
4. Buy air conditioners with an Energy Star label. In some cases you may qualify for a tax rebate or credit. In addition, Energy Star equipment uses up to 15% less energy than do other units.
5. Keep your air conditioning system maintained. Just as home- and business-owners in colder climates need annual furnace check-ups, those in Arizona need check-ups for their air conditioning units. An electrician can note inefficiencies and perform a routine maintenance check prior to the summer season reaching its peak, however we do not provide routine maintenance that is normally performed by an AC company (but we can refer you to one if you need one.)

Other ways to save energy are by closing your drapes during the day to prevent the sun from streaming in and heating up the rooms. Also, arrange your furniture so it doesn’t impede the flow of the cooled air throughout the room.

Got questions? We’ve got answers. Give us a call at 480-545-9600 any time you need us.