Ready to Reduce Your Electric Bill? Here’s How
Taking the time to review your electric bill and monthly energy costs helps you find ways to save money. At Ahoy! Cooling & Heating in Temple Terrace, FL, our HVAC experts work with homeowners like you to find ways to reduce the energy use of their heating and cooling systems.
How to Read Your Electric Bill
Your electric bill has information that provides insights into your energy costs. Budget-conscious homeowners primarily review the due date and total. Below this information is a breakdown of the costs by service and delivery fees. Service fees indicate how much electricity you use. Delivery fees are standard costs charged by the electric company for the upkeep of equipment. Your electric company may also include a bar chart showing your electricity costs on a monthly basis.
Calculating Electricity Service Costs
Electricity costs are charged in kilowatt-hours that are calculated by multiplying the total watts used by hours. This gives you the watt-hours. Divide this number by 1,000 to arrive at the kilowatt-hours for the month. Your electric company determines the cost per kilowatt-hour, and the rate is noted on your electric bill.
You can find ways to reduce your electric bill by reducing the number of kilowatt-hours per month. The average cooling system uses 0.05 to 5 kilowatts per hour. Electric heating systems use an average of 26 kilowatt-hours of energy each day. Reducing the kilowatt-hours of these systems results in lower energy bills each month.
How to Reduce Your Electricity Usage
Here are six ways to reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling your home.
1. HVAC Maintenance
Routine HVAC maintenance keeps your system running efficiently, and it is one of the easiest ways to reduce energy use. We recommend that you schedule maintenance in the spring and fall. Our technicians check all your HVAC system’s components, filters, and lubricants. If we find any issues, we perform the necessary repairs. Maintenance of your heating and cooling system not only lowers energy costs but also reduces the risk of costly repairs.
2. Duct Cleaning
A buildup of dirt and debris inside your ducts interferes with airflow, which reduces HVAC efficiency. At Ahoy! Cooling & Heating, we offer expert duct cleaning and maintenance services. We clean the ducts and check for leaks and broken connections.
3. Programmable Thermostats
Do you constantly adjust the thermostat of your HVAC system? While this practice is intended to keep you comfortable, it increases your energy use. HVAC systems circulate air to maintain the temperature. When you cycle the system on and off, the equipment runs longer, and you use more kilowatt-hours per month. With a programmable thermostat, your home stays comfortable, and you use less energy.
4. Keep Up With Repairs
High energy costs, unusual noises, odors, and poor indoor air quality are some signs that your HVAC system needs repairs. We recommend that you take care of the problems sooner rather than later. What starts as a small issue can quickly become a major, costly problem that reduces the lifetime of the equipment.
5. Zone Systems
Have you noticed hot and cold spots in your home? This is typically caused by rooms receiving more direct sunlight. You adjust your thermostat to keep one room warm or cool only to find that other rooms are uncomfortable. Zone systems are perfect for these situations. We install louvers inside the ducts and extra thermostats in your home. The louvers control airflow, and you can maintain the same temperature throughout your house.
6. Upgrade Your System
Heating and cooling systems evolve in response to regulations defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If your system is more than 15 years old, or if the system needs regular repairs, upgrading helps you save money on your energy bills. For comparison, older cooling systems use approximately six kilowatt-watt hours, and new systems use less than two kilowatt-hours. A new system may cut your energy use by more than half. Ahoy! Cooling & Heating carries a line of heating and cooling systems for your home that fit your budget.
Rely on the Experts
Located in Temple Terrace, FL, Ahoy! Cooling & Heating offers expert installation, repair, and maintenance services for your heating and cooling systems. Call us to schedule an appointment with one of our technicians and to learn more about saving money on your energy costs.
