We sat down this week with George Heiman, owner and lead technician from Green home Services, a Longmont-based HVAC company. We discussed FREE ways you can reduce your electricity usage and boost your AC efficiency.
George has been in the HVAC business for over 5 years. Originally an apprentice HVAC technician, he now owns and manages owns his own business. George is also a Colorado native so he fully understands Colorado’s climate and how to make best use of your setup.
Aside from great tips, George also offers:
– Central air system installation
– Mini split installation
– Seasonal checkups and maintenance
– Repairs
You can contact him at:
303-548-2965
GreenServicesHome@gmail.com
Now on to the tips!
#1 Run the central air blower motor only
Using your central air system doesn’t have to mean using your AC condenser unit. The AC condenser unit that sits on the side of your house uses a large amount of electricity. The condenser unit circulates a coolant and uses the AC unit to cool the coolant. Then air is then passed over the cold coolant which blows through your house.
Unfortunately a lot of houses have what are called cold and hot spots. By running your blower motor only, and not the AC unit, the cool air will still be sucked through the intake, mixed, and spread throughout the house. This eliminates cold and hot spots making your home more even in temperature and reduces electricity usage from the condenser unit.
#2 Turn on ceiling fans (counterclockwise)
In the same spirit as tip number one, when dealing with cold and hot spots in the house, one trick is to use ceiling fans. Ceiling fans circulate air from top to bottom, causing trapped hot air to be forced downward where the cooler air is, creating an overall air temperature change and more comfortability.
Just be sure that your fans are set to the correct rotation for summertime. Fans should be set to spin counterclockwise which forces the hot air down. Simply do this by using a step stool or ladder and switching the switch on the fan motor. Please be careful up there!
#3 Wash your AC condenser unit
Your AC condenser units efficiency will dictate how much energy it uses. The AC condenser unit is like a car radiator, it pumps coolant through the fins in order to cool the coolant.
If the condenser fins are dirty then less air will be able to pass through the fins and it won’t be able to dissipate the heat as well. Using a gentle water stream or a soft bristle brush you can clean your AC condenser unit. Be careful, as the condenser fins are easily bendable.
#4 Use reliable thermostats
Unfortunately with technology comes issues. Nest used to be a reliable thermostat until its acquisition by Google. Nest now comes with reliability and longevity issues. Instead George recommends using something like a Honeywell T6 pro, the simpler components making it longer lasting and better for monitoring.
If you’re looking to upgrade your HVAC system or just need some maintenance George is the guy!
If you’re looking to move to somewhere cooler or warmer and would like explore your moving options, Malone and associates would love to help you make that transition.
303-731-6263