The weather is finally warming up. While this is great news for most of us, it’s hard to truly enjoy summer if you don’t have an escape from the heat. If your air conditioner is in less-than-peak condition, it may struggle to bring your home to a comfortable temperature and provide much-needed respite from the hottest days of the year.
If you’ve noticed that your AC system doesn’t seem to work as well as it once did, or if your energy bills have started to climb, year after year, then you may be due for an upgrade. By making a few key changes, including switching to a more energy-efficient AC unit, you can maximize comfort in your home while also saving on your monthly energy costs.
Exactly what the best options are will vary depending on your specific AC unit; below, we’ve offered a few expert tips from All Weather Heating & Cooling for how to get the best results for your home.
Start With the Insulation
Whether or not you are upgrading the AC machinery itself, you can dramatically improve the overall energy efficiency of your home by overhauling the insulation. Even the best air conditioning in the world will struggle to do its job effectively if heat can enter through gaps and cracks in the seals around the doors and windows. If the walls and attic are not properly insulated, then heat can enter through them as well.
Every upgrade to your air conditioning system—large or small—should involve asking your HVAC professional to inspect the insulation in your home and repair or replace it as necessary. This is one of the most important steps you can take to keep your energy costs lower.
Consider a Smart Thermostat
Having an energy-efficient AC unit is critical for maximizing comfort and minimizing costs, but to really gain the full benefit of such a system, it must be utilized properly. This is why one of the best investments you can make is a smart thermostat. This modern technology can help to allocate energy use in the most effective way possible.
The job of any thermostat is to control the HVAC system. You set it to your desired temperature, and then it tells the AC unit to cycle on and off, as necessary, to achieve and maintain that temperature. With a traditional thermostat, the unit is located on the wall and adjusted manually, but a smart thermostat uses a Wi-Fi connection to add an extra dimension of control.
A smart thermostat actually learns your preferences and can adjust temperatures based on your daily patterns, such as when you come and go from the home, or even your location, utilizing the GPS on your phone. With a smart thermostat, you can also change your AC settings using your mobile device. Forget to set your AC so it doesn’t waste energy while you’re on vacation? No problem; sign into an app and adjust it on the go.
Smart thermostat technology helps you get the most effective use from your AC, maximizing home comfort and saving on energy costs.
Opt for a Newer, More Advanced Air Conditioner
Of course, the biggest upgrade you can make is to the air conditioner itself. Thanks to recent advances in technology, modern air conditioning units are more efficient, more effective, and more convenient than ever before.
For example, one of the most popular units we sell at All Weather Heating & Cooling is the Infinity 9VS. While its cooling efficiency is highly improved over previous AC units, its primary benefit is in its variable, five-speed compressor. This allows it to reduce its energy output when temperatures outside are cooler and air conditioning isn’t needed as much and still provide sufficient power on the hottest days of the year.
When you do decide to upgrade to a more energy-efficient AC unit, make sure you discuss your needs with your HVAC professional first. It’s crucial to get the right-sized unit for your home to avoid unnecessary energy expenditure in the future. You can also discuss the possibility of alternative cooling options, such as heat pumps or ductless split systems. Your HVAC professional can help you decide on the best option to save you money on your overall energy costs.
Remember That Upgrading Is an Ongoing Process
Any of these recommended upgrades can help maximize both the comfort in your home and the energy efficiency of your air conditioning system, but AC upgrades aren’t a “set it and forget it” sort of situation. There will always be new technologies introduced, as well as repairs that need to be made. This isn’t to say that you need to pay for every possible upgrade to have a great, energy-efficient AC unit, but you will need to ensure that the one you do have is kept in good working order.
Modern HVAC systems, such as the Infinity 9VS mentioned above, also have the important benefit of being able to be upgraded one component at a time. This can take a great deal of the hassle out of the upgrade process while also reducing the strain on your pocketbook.
A regular maintenance plan should also be a part of any upgrade. A crucial part of maximizing comfort in the home is ensuring that the ducts and air filters in your home are always clean and free of any buildup that might block airflow. Otherwise, dust and dirt may end up being circulated through your home and exacerbate allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions.
Contact us at All Weather Heating & Cooling to discuss your upgrade options or outline an ongoing maintenance plan to ensure the continuing efficiency of your air conditioning system.