Op-ed: Optimize your energy usage this summer

NOCO at Home offers 5 easy tips to help ensure AC doesn’t fizzle when temperatures sizzle

Guest Editorial by NOCO

With summer officially here, the heating and cooling team at NOCO at Home is ready to help homeowners optimize their home’s energy and save on monthly bills as temperatures start to soar.

“Now’s the time to tackle a few easy things around your home to ensure a comfortable and cost-effective summer for you and your family,” said Kevin Williams, executive vice president of NOCO at Home. “No matter what type of unit, air conditioners utilize a lot of electricity when running, but if you keep your system well-maintained and implement a few other cost-saving tactics within your home, you can mitigate some of that increase in usage.”

The NOCO at Home team recommends these five tips when it comes to running your air conditioning efficiently this summer:

•Maintenance: Make sure your air conditioning system is well-maintained, with regular service, to ensure it operates efficiently. Also, keep leaves, weeds and other debris away from the outside unit. Part of maintenance is replacing your furnace filter, which should be changed every 90 days or as recommended by the manufacturer.

•Temperature control: Set your thermostat to the highest temperature that is comfortable for you and your family. If you don’t already have one, install a programmable or smart thermostat to allow you to set a higher temperature (at least 4 degrees warmer) when you’re not home. This helps maintain a comfortable home without putting added strain on your air conditioning unit.

•Insulate: You may have never considered insulation for air conditioning season, but up to 40% of a home’s energy loss is due to poor insulation or sealing around windows and doors. That cool air inside your home may be making its way outside, too, causing your air conditioning to run more than necessary.

•Curtains and fans: Close window blinds and curtains during the warmest part of the day. This will stop the sun from shining in, keep your house cooler, and potentially have your air conditioner run less. Consider utilizing a bedroom fan at night. Whether on the ceiling or a pedestal, fans can help to better circulate the air while sleeping and allow you to set your thermostat a few degrees higher.

•Energy assessment: Schedule a home energy assessment to evaluate your energy costs and energy saving opportunities. Simple solutions can optimize your home’s energy usage and help to reduce future costs.

“Extreme heat is responsible for a significant number of summer HVAC breakdowns, often due to overworked systems and missed maintenance,” Williams added. “NOCO at Home has emergency technicians on standby, ready for when you need your AC the most.”

NOCO at Home provides thousands of homes across Western New York with energy products from air conditioning, heating, and ventilating to standby power, natural gas, electricity, and sustainable options like geothermal, solar and insulation. For more details or to schedule an annual AC tune-up or home energy assessment, call NOCO at 716-466-6626.