If you have high energy bills in the Sacramento area when you use your air conditioner it may be a sign of problems. The first quick fix is to take a look at your thermostat setting when your energy bills are high. 78 degrees is the recommended thermostat setting when you are at home. Some homeowners set the thermostat and forget it your round and end up paying to cool an empty home. While you are away you may choose to increase the thermostat setting to 82 degrees.
Dirty equipment leads to inefficiency
One of the things most homeowners are never told is an air conditioner or furnace needs yearly maintenance. If your heating and air system has been neglected for a long time you will increase the costs of operation. Having a regular maintenance does help with the long term costs of keeping your home comfortable. Most energy providers recommend your system to be cleaned yearly.
Low refrigerant in your air conditioner
If your air conditioner has a low refrigerant charge you will automatically increase your energy costs. A low charge makes your air conditioner run longer costing more in energy. A low charge can also create significant damage to the internals of your air conditioner.
Damaged duct work can lead to excessive energy bills
One of the places to look for increased costs of energy can come from problems with your ductwork. Older ductwork can leak and cause an extra use of energy consumption. Older ducts may be made of poor materials that have broken down over time. Small animals or rodents can cause extra issues with your ductwork and lead to extra costs. Contractors who have made changes to your home may have created problems by smashing or breaking ducts. If you have ductwork that has fallen apart or become discounted can increase your bills significantly.
Undersized heating and air system
On a rare occasion your heating and air system may be undersized causing your air conditioner to run more than what is needed. There are a few factors that really determine the size or capacity of your heating and air system.
The size of your home and its build is part of the equation when sizing the system
- 1.You may have problems that have nothing to do with your heating and air system. You could have problems with poor insulation value. If you cant hold the cold air in your home you will need to run your air conditioner more frequently to keep your home cool. The amount of insulation in the walls and the attic in your home also helps determine the size of equipment needed.
- 2.The windows in your home help hold the temperature inside when your air conditioner is running. Older windows in your home can bled energy and cause an increase in energy costs. The more windows you have in your home the more energy you may need to run your air conditioner.
- 3.The direction your home faces also is part of the formula when it comes to sizing your heating and air system. A full southern exposure can increase the cost of running your heating and air system especially when there are multiple windows
- 4.The heat gain from your attic may require your system to work harder than what is needed. On a hot day your attic can reach 130 – 140 degrees. Additional heat in your attic may lead to a longer run time
If you have high energy bills you believe are caused by your air conditioner we would love to help out. You may need a maintenance in order to get your air conditioner running properly and to have your ductwork inspected. You may be in a place where you just want to replace your current heating and air system, either way we would love to take care of you and help you out. Its really easy to figure out if your energy costs are increased by your air conditioner by making an easy phone call to 916-714-1143 and our friendly representative can help you out.
