Boy, Does It Feel Good Outside!

You can’t beat this weather! It feels too good outside to not be anything but happy and thankful for such a pleasant Summer. It did get me thinking, though. How can we take advantage of these cool temps? What can we do to save money on our energy bills? A good place to start is to get rid of any “energy vampires” you may have in your home. These are TVs, lamps, appliances and whatever else you leave plugged in all the time, but rarely use. They are using energy and costing you money even though you are not actively using them. So, put your TVs on a power strip and turn them off when you are not at home and while you are sleeping. Also, unplug lamps and kitchen appliances that you don’t use on a regular basis. While this is valuable information that everyone should take advantage of, you should also find out how to save energy and money on your home’s biggest energy burner – your air conditioner. There are “high-efficiency” air conditioners that can save you between 24-40% on your usual utilities. That is definitely worth investigating! For more information on lowering your energy consumption and putting more money in your wallet, take a look at this info, The Definition of Insanity.

Bigger Isn’t Always Better

We have become somewhat accustomed to the notion that “Bigger is Better.” Whether we are at a drive-thru where you can “super size” for a better “value” than a regular meal or driving the bigger truck or SUV so you can see over the other cars, we like things BIG. A big fish is better than a small fish. A big boat is better than a small boat. And so on… you get the idea. Surprisingly though, bigger isn’t always better when talking about a new “high efficiency” cooling system. If you bought a new air conditioner today, it will probably be smaller than the one you bought 10 to 15 years ago. Just replacing your old A/C with a new one the same size could cause you trouble down the road because it will be too big to meet your needs. This is, of course, assuming you have the appropriately sized air conditioner for your home now. A cooling system too big for your home will cause frequent on-and-off cycling which will affect the humidity control in your home. Poor humidity control can lead to moisture in the air which, in turn, will lead to mold and mildew, not to mention, humid air that is just plain uncomfortable. It is hard to imagine there is a service industry these days that is saying, “Not so fast… a bigger cooling system may NOT be what your home needs. You may need just a smaller, more efficient system to have your home feeling cool and save you money on energy costs.” To learn more about “high efficiency” cooling systems and ways to take advantage of this wonderful weather we’ve been enjoying, read How a Really Cool Summer Can Put $3120 of Savings in Your Pocket.