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Monthly Expenses Seem High? Learn Why

When evaluating your electric bill, at home or at your business, you want to address expenses. A high overhead might sound right to you, but it isn’t necessarily what you should be paying. There are ways to decrease your electric bill, such as making sure you focus on proper building and air conditioning maintenance. Small improvements can go a long way and help you to avoid costly repairs or replacements in the future.

Routine maintenance of your home is becoming more and more popular as people see the wisdom of regular upkeep and how it can lead to saving a lot of money down the road. Around the home and yard, the list can be endless, especially if your home is older, but there are certain things you should think about all the time to do around the home that will help reduce energy usage.

Building Maintenance & Tips to Reduce Energy

• Install high-performance windows: High-performance windows help to reduce heat gain in your home, which allows you to leave the AC at a good temperature all the time.
• Try reflective coating on your roof: Reflective coating helps reduce heat expansion in your home and keeps your roof lasting longer.
• Make sure your dryer vents to the outside: Dryers that vent to the garage or other indoor areas cause the temperature to rise in that area, which causes your AC unit to put in more effort to cool it down.
• Check window seals: Damaged or open window seals let out air when your AC is running – wasting a lot of cool air you’re paying for. Replace when necessary and make sure windows and doors shut tightly.
• Keep inside doors open: This allows air to flow freely and cool your home much quicker.
• Install sunscreens or sunshades: Sun-blocking screens and shades can drastically reduce energy usage in your home. Areas where it is direct, constant sunlight heat up quickly and take a long time to cool down, so the AC must work harder there.
• For efficient heating, make sure to not obstruct vents with furniture. 
• Free up your AC and heating unit: Make sure air conditioning and heating units are unblocked by debris, furniture or anything else. It works more efficiently in a free, standalone area

All of the above are small ways you can reduce energy usage in your home and increase energy efficiency. However, if you live in a warm climate like Phoenix and really want to reduce your energy bill, you should focus on your AC unit.

Having an air conditioning professional perform maintenance on your air conditioning unit can save you hundreds of dollars in energy costs throughout the year and a lot when it comes to having to replace a broken unit. Below are a few ways you can perform maintenance on your AC unit throughout the year and how a professional inspection can ensure optimum air conditioning performance.

AC Maintenance

Change AC filters often

At least once a month, AC filters need to be changed so that your system is running in full working order.

SEER

Make sure your AC unit has a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) of 13 or higher. In January, a federal mandate will demand that all new AC units are at least 14 SEER. Saving money on monthly expenses allows one to purchase and install an improved AC unit for their home. The higher the energy rating, the more efficient your unit, so this can benefit you for years to come.

Leaky ducts

Have a local Phoenix air conditioning expert repair or replace any leaky ducts throughout your home.

Insulation

Make sure your home is properly insulated with foam insulation to prevent hot air creeping in through any walls or holes. Remember, the more hot air you keep out, the less hard our air conditioning has to work.

Invest in a programmable thermostat

Programmable thermostats allow you to set when your air conditioning comes on and when it stops – and at what temperatures. This is helpful since different parts of the day require more energy than others, and since many people are not at home during the day. Programmable thermostats also have sensors so you can tell what the temperature is in certain spots.

Hire an experienced Phoenix air conditioning company

Penguin Air, Plumbing & Electrical provides air conditioning maintenance to homeowners and businesses to ensure air conditioning units are always in top working order. Technicians can do detailed tune-ups that involve checking things such as indoor and outdoor coils, electrical components that may be damaged, seals, capacitors, air filters and much more. We want your air conditioning and heating system to perform as you need it to and use as little energy as possible.