Cooling costs during a summer in the Minneapolis area can add up quickly, but you don’t have to sacrifice your comfort to keep your utility bills manageable. Here are a few simple ways to cut cooling costs by improving the energy efficiency of your home and HVAC system:
- Keep up with the routine maintenance of your air conditioning system. By having a professional inspect and maintain your system at least once a year, you can keep it running as efficiently as possible, reducing cooling costs and energy usage.
- Check the air filter monthly. A dirty or clogged air filter can significantly reduce the performance of your air conditioner and even reduce its lifespan.
- Clean the coils. Keep an area of two feet around the condenser coil free of all debris. After turning off the power to the system, remove any debris from the coils themselves and rinse them clean with a garden hose; this should be done annually. Inside your home, check the evaporator coils for dust accumulation and carefully vacuum them clean when necessary.
- Install a programmable thermostat and set it to increase the temperature in your home automatically while you are working or sleeping. This can reduce cooling costs by over 10 percent.
- Use weatherstripping on doors and windows to reduce air leakage, and use caulk to seal around pipes, electrical lines and any other holes in the exterior walls.
- Seal and insulate your air ducts to reduce heat loss and air leaks that can increase your energy usage by up to 30 percent.
- Use ceiling fans and portable fans to increase air circulation, allowing you to remain comfortable at a higher temperature.
- Avoid cooking, bathing or using heat-generating appliances during the daytime to make it easier for your air conditioner to keep you comfortable.
- Use curtains, blinds or shades on south-facing windows to block the heat of the sun during the daytime.
For more tips on how to reduce cooling costs, talk to our HVAC experts at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We have served the Twin Cites area since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about cooling costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “alexmillos/Shutterstock”