AC: You Need to Clean and Check the system EACH year.

1. A dirty unit takes more refrigerant, operates under a heavier load and is far less efficient. Just think about filling a car up with bags of dirt and driving it up Pike’s Peak. That is what is happening when you run a filthy condensing unit. Also, a dirty evaporator coil can cause the same problem.
2. We check all the pressures after we have cleaned the unit. That gives the most accurate reading.
3. California, with its energy crisis, had done extensive research in the past two years. Reports show that improperly charged units are the leading cause of high wasteful (30 to 40% waste) electrical usage. Who wants to pay more than necessary to the electric company?
4. Even if you did not use your air conditioning much last year, the condenser sat outside all year and is dirty. Think how often you clean the outside furniture before sitting down, especially when you are wearing light colors.

• Save Electricity When Heat Waves Come To Chicago!  

1.      You hate running your air conditioning system, so you wait until the last moment to start it. Did you know that you are putting a large amount of stress on your unit? Instead, turn the air conditioner on in the early morning before the house becomes hot and humid.

2.      Find the right temperature that will make you feel comfortable, but not cold. Just turning up the thermostat one or two degrees will make a difference on your electrical bills. Using a set-back thermostat that will automatically lower the temperature when people are really active in the house will add comfort. Automatically raising the temperature when no one is home will save money. But beware of cheap set-back thermostats. The more expensive thermostats use their “brain” and change temperatures in a more energy efficient manner: well worth the cost.

3. Temperatures are over 90^o and the humidity is high. To help you feel more comfortable try the following:
1. Shade the windows on the south and west side of the house.
2. Run the fan (turn the thermostat switch “fan” from “auto” to “on”) continuously. Moving air can not hold as much moisture as still air can.
3. Run all ceiling fans. Again, the more movement of air, the cooler you will feel.
4. Avoid putting more moisture into the house with long baths, showers or washing clothes. 

You Can Reduce Your Energy Bills with More Efficient Units

Cooling:
Replace an older unit with a new high efficiency cooling system, increase your SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio*) rating and save money on your cooling bills. Older units can have SEER ratings as low as 5 or 6, compared with 12, 13, even 15 or 16, with a new cooling system. Your savings: check the numbers below:

*SEER is the total cooling output in BTUs (British Thermal Units) during a normal annual usage period for cooling, divided by the total electric power input in watt-hours during the same period.
To Use This Chart: Estimate the approximate cooling efficiency of your current air conditioner. If it’s more than 10  years old, the efficiency is likely to be about 6.0 SEER. Then estimate your annual cooling cost, based on your total electric bill, eliminating the  cost of other electricity use. Then use the chart to estimate how much you can save with a higher efficiency system.
Example: If your current air conditioner has a SEER of 6.0 and your annual operating cost is S600, the cost to operate a new 14 SEER system will be approximately $260. giving you an estimated annual savings of more than $340.

                   •Source: YORK®
                   Heating and Air Conditioning

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