Peak Energy-Savings Tips For Coastal Bend Homeowners

Summer may be officially over, but the South Texas heat continues, and so does your need for air conditioning. With an extended cooling season, it’s easy to run up big energy bills if you’re not careful. Fortunately, there are a few energy-savings tips you can use to offset your extra energy consumption and save money, even as the heat rages on.

• Make sure your A/C is right for your home. The first step is to buy an efficient Energy Star-certified unit to save you money and energy. But even if you have an energy-efficient air conditioner, it still might not be operating at peak efficiency. Make sure that your unit is the proper size for your home. If it’s too small or too large, it will waste energy and stress out your system, ultimately shortening its life. Once you’ve had an HVAC professional correctly size your A/C, make sure it’s properly installed. Bad installation can decrease your unit’s efficiency by up to 30 percent.
• Seal your ducts. The more air leaking out of your ductwork, the less air is making it into your home, and the more energy your A/C expends trying to cool it. Inspect your ducts thoroughly, sealing all holes, gaps and other places where air can escape, using metal tape or mastic sealant. Don’t use duct tape, as it loses its adhesiveness over time.
• Beware of energy vampires. In addition to A/C energy-savings tips, there are steps you can take with your other appliances to reduce energy costs. Many of the electronics in your home, such as televisions, computer equipment and electrical chargers, continue to consume energy, even when they’re turned off. Slay these “energy vampires” by unplugging them when not in use, or switching them off at the power strip.

For more energy-savings tips and general HVAC advice, please contact our experts at CCAC, Inc. We’ve been constantly concerned about customers’ home comfort needs in the Coastal Bend since 1979.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about energy-savings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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