The cost of cooling your home goes up as the temperature does. But a new federal law might make it cheaper and easier to keep your home cool.
The minimum efficiency standards for air conditioners and heat pumps went up from 10 SEER to 13 SEER in January (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). Even though homeowners are not required to replace systems with a SEER of less than 13, doing so could cut their energy bills by 23%.
SEER ratings can be thought of like gas mileage: The more energy "mileage" you get, the higher the SEER or miles per gallon. So, as the SEER level goes up, your cooling and heating products use less energy. This gives you more for your money and helps the environment by using less energy.
Rick Roetken, director of marketing at Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems in Indianapolis, says that the new 13 SEER standard not only saves energy, but also cuts the carbon dioxide emissions that come with it.
Bryant just released a new line of 13 SEER models that save money, work well, and keep you comfortable. The improved top-of-the-line Evolution System can reach up to 20 SEER and lets users control heating, cooling, humidity, indoor air quality, schedules, and maintenance reminders from a single, easy-to-use source.
Roetken says that a trained service technician should check your home's cooling system at least once a year to keep it running at its best. Here are a few more ideas:
Add more insulation to the attic. By going from 3 inches to 12 inches, you can save 10% on cooling costs.
Grow a tree. One shade tree in the right place can cut your cooling costs by 25%. Put shade trees with leaves to the south and west, and evergreen trees to the north.
Use box fans and ceiling fans to help move air around the house.
Turn on your air conditioner's fan instead of leaving it on "auto." This will keep air moving all the time, keeping the house at the same temperature and helping to get rid of moisture.
Make sure your window air conditioner is the right size if you use one. It would be better to get one that is too small than too big. A bigger unit will turn on and off more often and won't remove as much moisture from the air.
Buy a thermostat that you can programme.
If you don't have central air, try an attic fan for the whole house. This device pushes hot air out of the attic vents. In less than 10 minutes, the temperature in your whole house drops by about 5 degrees.