The heat is a year-round obstacle to work around in Houston. This means stepping up and using tricks to save money and offset the cost of a new AC unit in Houston.
You’re over the obnoxious heat and its signature combination featuring unbearable humidity. The truth is, no matter how long you’ve lived in Houston or anywhere else near the coast, you never do quite get used to the scorching summers.
But maybe you’re tired of cranking up the AC each summer only to receive an ugly energy bill at the end of every month. Between keeping cool and comfortable versus facing some serious sticker shock every month, it all adds up. And all of this can wear any person down and feel as though there are no effective and easy solutions. So, what gives?
By the end of this article, you’ll know the best-kept secrets to keep cool while still using your AC unit. They may even help you save on monthly payments and avoid the cost of a new AC unit in Houston.
How To Offset The Cost Of New AC Unit In Houston
Try some of these money-saving strategies to keep cool and save on AC expenses.
Give The Temperature A Temporary Break And Avoid The Extra Cost Of A New AC Unit In Houston
Similar to using smart controls or other tech-savvy features, turn your AC unit to Auto. If it’s working 24/7 to cool your home at a low temperature, chances are it’s working too hard. This can cause maintenance and repair issues to pop up more frequently, leaving you with increasingly recurring AC expenses. Even worse, your AC gives out and you’re left with the cost of a new AC unit in Houston. This leads us to our next tip…
Make A/C Maintenance A Priority
That’s right! Don’t skimp out on maintenance and repairs for your AC system. Doing so can leave you with more complex issues and a higher repair bill later on.
Twice a year is all it takes to ensure your AC is running smoothly. By maintaining a maintenance appointment before the start of the summer and winter seasons, you can keep your AC unit in check all year long.
Have you fallen behind in your maintenance checkup this year? It’s not too late to give us a call.
Smart Controls Save You Money
In today’s modern age, this is a big one. However, we get it. It’s hard to move on and away from traditional methods. For example, you’ve seen your parents and grandparents survive on old-school HVAC systems year after year. Why kick those units to the curb now?
Believe us when we say that smart technology such as smart thermostats can put a dent in your monthly energy bill. In fact, it can save you as much as $130 each year by switching to an AC unit with smart controls. That’s a 15% annual savings for homeowners!
Making the swap can even save you money on future repairs and maintenance. Because smart controls are smart, they work on their own to do the following:
- Adjust temperatures automatically
- Know when your home is occupied
- Produce a certain amount of heating and cooling based on your schedule
Depending on the brand, you can even monitor and change these settings with your smartphone.
Cover Up With Cost-Effective Solutions
Natural sunlight looks great in any home. The only downside is that you’re likely to make your home warmer with every sun-soaked hour that passes by. According to Energy Saver, “76% of sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat.” This means that it’s that much more important to cover up windows with black-out curtains, blinds, or shades.
You don’t need to choose the most expensive blinds on the block. They just need to have sunlight-blocking features to protect the temperature of the inside of your home. These blackout curtains from Amazon are only $32, but they’ll probably save you a lot more than that on your energy bill.
Try Solar Screens
Solar screens can be a great way to block out any unwanted sunlight. It’s a dark screen that covers your window and reflects sunlight. This keeps it away from your home, allowing you to feel cooler throughout the day without much effort. What’s even better is you can opt for a professional to perform the installation. Or you can do it yourself and buy solar screens for as low as $16 a roll. However, keep in mind that the cost and size of the roll you’ll need largely depends on the size of your windows.
Swap Old Bulbs For Energy-Saving Ones
Traditional bulbs tend to emit a ton of beautiful bright light but can be hot to the touch. With that in mind, classic bulbs also produce extra heat that can leave you running to the AC to turn it on a cooler setting.
However, there is an easy and relatively low-cost way to fix these issues. If you’re late to the LED game, there’s still plenty of time to catch up. You can find LED bulbs at any convenience, grocery, or hardware store. They produce an outstanding amount of ambient light (catered to your taste) and stay cool to the touch – even if they’re left on for long periods of time.
LED bulbs can help you save money as they’re often more energy efficient. This means you’ll save more money by using them compared to classic bulbs. And since they keep your home cooler, you’ll be using your AC less to cancel out the heat regular bulbs produce.
Keep Up With Landscaping
Planting a few trees, shrubs, and bushes can make your home look gorgeous. It can also cut back on the amount of light that reaches the inside of your home. This helps make it feel cooler throughout the seasons with the right greenery. In addition, you’ll have some pretty plants to look at while saving money at the same time! Some super-resilient plants for Houston’s weather include:
- Cast Iron Plant. The cast iron is a shade plant with large and long waxy green leaves.
- Redbud. Redbud trees produce bright pink clusters of color from their blooms and can reach heights of 20 feet.
- Southern Magnolia. A tried and true classic, the Southern magnolia tree is a sturdy and dark tree that produces large fragrant cream-colored flowers every spring.
Cut Back On Home Appliance Usage
You’re used to being able to run your AC, cook, watch TV, listen to music, and power other appliances all at once. However, using one too many appliances at a time can warm up the interior of your home.
Whenever you’re going about your day, unplug appliances you aren’t using at the moment. Pack them away to get in the habit of only taking them out when they’re in use. You’ll free up some counter space and save the use of cooler air for the inside of your home.
Contact The Pros When Your HVAC Unit Isn’t Holding It Together
When your AC unit starts becoming a challenge that’s too tough to tackle, it’s time to call us at Valderrama. With over 35 years in business, we know how much your home systems mean to you. This is why we do our best to offer fast solutions at a reasonable price. We even have 24/7 availability for HVAC emergencies!
Don’t leave your HVAC maintenance and repairs to chance. Call us today!