People who want be environmentally friendly sometimes want to avoid using air conditioners in an effort to lower their electricity usage and lower their carbon footprint. But when you live in an area like Tampa where it’s hot most of the year and it can be brutally hot and humid in the summer having an air conditioner is a must. Especially if you have children or seniors in your home that can become sick from the heat. So how do you use air conditioning in an environmentally friendly way? Use these tips to keep using air conditioning but be environmentally friendly at the same time:
Ventilate Your Home
Ventilation is critically important for air conditioning. If your home is ventilated and the air is flowing well through the home your air conditioner will work more effectively and use less energy. That will lower your Tampa Energy bill and lower your energy usage. In order to make sure your home is ventilated you can install ceiling fans if you don’t have them. If you do have them leave them on low all the time. This will circulate the cool air and keep your home nice and cool without using a lot of energy.
Seal Up Leaks
Older homes usually have older windows that can have lots of leaks. Leaky windows let in a lot of hot and humid air that can make the air conditioner work extra hard. Get some caulk or some foam weather stripping from the home and garden store and seal up any leaks that you notice around the windows. Use fabric draft stoppers under the outside doors to keep heat from leaking in through the door.
Replace Your Existing Air Conditioning System
If you have an older home you probably have an old AC system that isn’t really energy efficient. AC replacement can be expensive but in the long run having an energy efficient modern air conditioner will save you money. It also will be more environmentally friendly. There are many ways that you can get good deals on new AC systems. You may even qualify for rebates or incentives to replace your air conditioner if it’s an old or very outdated system. Talk to a wholesale air conditioner dealer to find out more about updated air conditioning units and central air systems to see if your home would benefit from an AC replacement. The benefits of installing a new air conditioning system outweigh the upfront costs of a new AC system.