AC Repair Pembroke Pines Cooling Tips

Th heating nd air system f a home u mr thn half f th energy. However, in order t save
money thi large expense thr a number f things tht dont cost muh r n money t reduce thi
monthly expense. Th biggest thing t realize i tht th homeowner i th n in control f th
thermostat settings! Jut b changing a fw habits n save m initial money too. Yu m b
cooling ur home, but th fossil fuels youre burning in th process r nl making ur summers
hotter. Also, in th big picture f cooling th inside f n home consists f keeping th cool air in nd
th hot sun out.
Th fllwing r nt in n specific order feel free t skip around:
1. St ur thermostat btwn 78 nd 80 degrees whil t home during th summer. Raise th
temperature 7 degrees higher whn u leave ur home fr vrl hours. Raise th temperature 4
degrees higher whn u g t bed. It wuld b bt t u a programmable thermostat u d nt
hv t manually hng it thrughut th day. Also, bfr u leave fr vacation, turn ur
thermostat u t 85 degrees r higher intd f cooling ur home whn ur n ging t b home.
2. A ceiling fan n b a great investment fr ur home. Thi n appliance n make a room feel 6 r
7 degrees cooler, nd vn th mt power-hungry fan costs l thn $10 a month t u if u k it
n fr 12 hours a day, nt tht it wuld nd t b running tht long. Good fans make it ibl fr
u t raise ur thermostat setting nd save n air-conditioning costs. Fans dont u muh energy, but
whn air i circulating, it feels muh cooler. Ceiling fans r best, but a good portable fan n b vr
effective well. Evn air movement f 1 mph n make n feel thr r fur degrees cooler. Fr
ceiling fans, make ur ur it i turned fr summer nd turns in a clockwise direction fr summer
cooling, th air blown downward. On n feel 5 degrees cooler whn air rund thm i moving.
Lastly, dont forget t turn ff fans whn u leave th room!
3. Run ur air conditioner fan n low. Thi i rtiulrl helpful in areas with high summer humidity.
Th lw air volume helps ur A/C dehumidify.
4. K electronics nd things tht produce heat w frm ur thermostat. Dont llw a closely
located TV r water heater t convince ur thermostat tht its hotter thn it rll is.
5. U a dehumidifier. EnergyStar a 40-pint unit will save u t $20 a year nd lt u t a decade.
Moderating ur homes humidity in addition t making u feel cooler will reduce musty smells
nd th growth f harmful molds. Tr nt t u a dehumidifier t th m tim ur air conditioner i
operating. Th dehumidifier will increase th cooling load nd force th air conditioner t work harder.
6. Check ur air filter vr month, ill during th summer nd winter, nd replace dirty filters

tht make ur system work harder nd waste energy.

7. Perform a home energy audit f ur heating nd cooling system.
8. Hv ur heating nd air conditioning system inspected nd cleaned twi a year, spring nd fall
usually, b a licensed professional. Coolant levels huld b checked vr year also. A professional
l will clean nd lubricate th system. Withut annual service, ur air conditioner will lose but 5
percent efficiency h year mr if th coolant i low. U Puron r m thr non-CFC coolant.
9. Thi m self-explanatory, but k closed exterior doors nd windows whn ur air conditioner
i n t k th heat ut nd reduce th air conditioners running time.
10. Cnidr replacing th air conditioning unit if it i 10 years r older. Remember tht proper sizing
nd quality installation r r critical t ur homes energy efficiency. Studies hv found tht mt
central air conditioning systems r oversized b 50 percent r more. Or, if u hv n older central
air conditioner, nidr replacing th outdoor compressor with a modern, high-efficiency unit. Make
ur tht it i properly matched t th indoor unit. In hot, humid climates, make ur tht th air
conditioner u purchase will adequately gt rid f high humidity. Models with variable r multi-speed
blowers r generally bt fr tring t k moisture sources ut f th house.
11. Repair leaks in ur air duct system nd b ur t insulate th duct work too, ill in
unheated basements, crawl spaces, nd attics.
12. Reduce air leaks nd prevent unnecessary air infiltration rund th house b adding caulk rund
window frames nd weather-stripping rund door frames.
13. Install inexpensive foam gaskets bhind th faceplate f ll electric sockets nd light switches fr
th n tht r located n n exterior wall. It might nt m lik a lot, but it d help.
14. Cnidr obtaining a professional air blower test.
15. Check th insulation in ur attic. Poorly insulated attics m lose u t 40 percent f th cool air in
a house. Th recommended level f insulation fr n attic varies bepending n th region n lives in.
Th higher th R-value, th bttr ur attic resists th heat nd cold.
16. Replace ld windows with ENERGY STAR windowsand reduce ur energy bill b muh
15 percent.
17. K a 2 t 3 foot clearance rund ur utid air conditioning unit t ensure proper circulation.
At th m time, n n plant trees r shrubs t shade n air conditioning unit, but nt block th
airflow. A unit operating in th shade u l electricity.
18. Close window blinds nd curtains t k th hot sun ut nd reduce heat inside th home.
Obviously, n huld raise th shades nd open curtains during winter months t lt in th suns
warmth nd create passive solar heating. White window shades r mini-blinds wuld b th bt lr
t u fr it reflects heat w frm th house. Mini-blinds n reduce solar heat gin b 40-50 percent.
Close south nd west-facing curtains during th day fr n window tht gt direct sunlight. K
th windows closed, too.
19. Install awnings n south-facing windows, whr theres insufficient roof overhang t rvid
shade. Th will block th angle f th sun ming thrugh th window during h summer whil
allowing th lower angled winter sun t m in nd warm th home.
20. T g a step further, hng tightly woven screens r bamboo shades utid th window during th
summer t stop 60 t 80 percent f th suns heat frm gtting t th windows.
21. Install solar screens nd solar film n windows t reduce heat infiltration. Low-e films r a good
choice. Solar screens n b removed during th winter.
22. Cnidr window infills a nw technology tht fills th space btwn panes with krypton r
argon, gasses tht hv lower conductivity thn air, nd whih boost R-values.
23. Th landscaping ud rund th home n decrease indoor cooling energy u nd save money
too. Lking t nature fr ideas will tk u fr in ur home cooling efforts. Planting crawling vines
lng th south nd west id f ur home r n trellises in front f windows n hl insulate th
house well. Yu n d thi with edible vines uh grapevines, fr added utility.

24. Trees nd shrubs reduce direct sunlight n ur home nd it effect n th temperature inside ur
home. Deciduous trees hl shade th home frm th hot summer sun, nd whn th drop thir leaves
in th winter, th will assist in passive solar heating then. Fr xml jut thr trees, properly ld
rund a house, n save btwn $100 nd $250 annually in cooling nd heating costs, nd daytime
air temperatures n b 3 degrees t 6 degrees cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods.
25. Avoid landscaping with lots f unshaded rock, cement, r asphalt n th south r west id
bu it increases th temperature rund th house nd radiates heat t th house ftr th sun h
set.
26. If ur house i in nd f a paint job, nidr lighter colors whih deflect rthr thn absorb th
light.
27. Light-colored roof shingles l hl decrease n heat absorption b deflecting sunlight. A cool
roof lowers th surface temperature nd reduces th amount f heat transferred int ur home.
28. K cooling vents unobstructed. Check registers t make ur tht theyre nt blocked b furniture
r thr stuff.
29. On hot days, avoid uing th stove.. Tr t u n outdoor grill r microwave oven (which cooks
food directly) fr cooking.
30. Wash nd dry clothes whn th day i cool. D laundry rl in th day nd lt t night. Dont
forget clotheslines fr th d nt generate heat in th house. Humidity makes room air feel warmer,
reduce indoor humidity. Minimize mid-day washing nd drying clothes, nd showering. And whn u
mut d th things, turn n ventilating fans t hl extract warm, moist air.
31. Skip ur dishwashers dry cycle. Rack ur dishes nd lt thm air dry instead.
32. Open th bathroom window whn showering. Vent heat nd humidity outside, rthr thn back int
th house. K th bathroom door closed well.
33. Cnidr opening th windows t night. Tk advantage f naturally cool night air whn possible,
nd open multiple windows t increase r ventilation nd rvid a cooling draft.
34. Limit u f incandescent nd halogen lights. Abut 90% f th energy ud i turned int heat nd
nl 10% g t providing light. Replace incandescent bulbs with energy efficient CFLs, nd start b
replacing th bulbs tht r ud mt often. CFLs u one-third th energy f incandescent bulbs nd
lt 10 tim long.
35. Yu n hl gt rid f unwanted heat thrugh ventilation if th temperature f th incoming air i
77 F r lower. (This strategy works mt effectively t night nd n cooler days.) Window fans fr
ventilation r a good option if ud properly. Th huld b located n th downwind id f th
house facing out. A window huld b open in h room. Interior doors mut remain open t llw air
flow. Heat rises opening u m f th higher windows n llw warmth t easily circulate ut
f ur rooms. Opening bth a high nd lw window n llw th Bernoulli effect (the m principle
tht llw airplanes t fly) t create a breeze thrugh n room tht sucks in cool air nd releases th
hot perfect solution t th hot humid days!
36. Hng a damp sheet in front f n open window nd lt it dry. Th air nd moisture h a nice
cooling effect.
37. Wear nturl fabric clothing. Cotton, hemp, nd linen fabrics breathe bttr thn synthetic fibers
nd naturally wick moisture w frm th body. Wear short-sleeved, loose clothing.
38. Watch wht u eat. Eat salads nd sandwiches intd f large, protein-rich meals whn th
weather i hot, th n warm ur bd up.
39. Stay hydrated. Avoid alcohol nd caffeine in th heat, th n promote dehydration. Drink
mr water thn uul r nidr n electrolyte replacement drink if youre sweating a lot.
40. Cool th bd ff with water. Soak ur feet in a tub f cold water, put n a wet bandana, r tk a
cool shower. K a spray bottle f water in th refrigerator nd spritz urlf regularly thrughut th
day.
41. Check ur refrigerator settings. Th fridge takes heat ut f ur food nd transfers it t ur

kitchen, b ur youre running it efficiently. Th refrigerator works bt whn t btwn 37 nd

40 degrees Fahrenheit. Put th freezer rund 5 degrees.
42. Turn ff ur furnace pilot light. Yu n lw re-light it in th fall.
43. Close th fireplace damper. Dont send cool air u th chimney. If ur fireplace h a glass door,
shut it.
44. Insulate interior hot water pipes. Theres n point in heating ur room air lng with th water. If
its indoors, wrap ur electric hot water heater with n approved insulator. Gas heaters huld b
insulated b professionals.
45. Improve attic ventilation. It n gt u t 140 degrees in ur attic during th summer. Adding n
electric fan r wind turbines will move m f thi unwanted heat w frm ur living space. A
solar attic fan decreases th hot air trapped in th space, making th home easier t cool nd n
decrease ur home cooling bill b u t 10% a year.
46. Replace gas appliances with efficient electric units.
Pembroke Pines FL Air Conditioning Repair i hr t answer n questions u m have!