Stay Cool But Pay Less

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 04:00 AM PDT

If you’re anything like me, you hate the heat. Because of that, I’ve considered and rejected the possibility of living with warmer temperatures inside the house during the summer months. I need the house to be 10, 20, sometimes even 30+ degrees colder than the outside world if I want to be remain productive. By showing a little love for my air conditioning unit, I’ve gone a long way towards decreasing my energy bill. Here’s how you can do the same. [Also See Do You Really Need the A/C?]

Air Conditioner

photo credit: Jamiecat *

Maintain Your Air Conditioner

Most folks need a professional technician to maintain their air conditioning unit. Whether you hire assistance or do it yourself, there are a few different ways that good maintenance will help you save energy with your air conditioner:

Keep the drain clear. You can check this yourself: inspect the outside component of your air conditioning system to make sure that fluid can drain out of it easily. Clogged drains pose a particular risk on humid days, when the unit will have to deal with lots of moisture.
Keep the filters clean. Air passing through an air conditioner contains small amounts of dirt, which build up on a filter. If there’s too much dirt on the filter, some can get through and obstruct the central machinery. The filter should be replaced every 4-8 weeks during periods of heavy use.
Make sure the system has good internal insulation. You already know that insulating your house is crucial to keeping the cold air inside. But it’s just as important to make sure that the air conditioner itself is well-insulated so that heat can be exchanged properly. If your air conditioner is taking longer to adjust to hotter temperatures, this may be a sign that the unit’s insulation is leaking somewhere.

Even if it seems like nothing is wrong, it’s a good idea to have a professional look at your air conditioner every year or so. A little bit of upkeep can go a long way towards trimming your energy costs and fending off disaster!

Upgrade Your System

There are lots of practical household tips available for cutting down on your monthly a/c air conditioner bill. One major and effective way to reduce those costs is to look at your system as a whole. If your air conditioner is more than twelve years old, you stand to reduce your energy consumption (and cost!) by 30% by upgrading to a new unit. Newer air conditioners are more efficient than older models. You can check the efficiency of a unit by looking for its seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER). This figure reflects the amount of cooling the air conditioner can perform per unit of energy; a higher SEER means a more efficient unit. If you live in a hot climate and need cold air, you might save hundreds of dollars a year with a newer system.

It doesn’t take long to get familiar with the terminology associated with energy efficiency in the air conditioning world, and your greater awareness will be rewarded financially! Remember: knowledge is power. (Or perhaps in this case, knowledge is power-saving.)

Another bonus of buying an efficient new air conditioner is that the government will reduce the amount that you are required to pay in taxes. The Department of Energy issues an Energy Star rating to efficient central air conditioners with SEER ratings of greater than 16. If you buy one of these units, you can claim a credit that reduces your tax burden by $300. (However, you can’t get money back from the government if you currently pay no taxes.)

When you’re shopping for a new unit, keep your eye out for a variable speed feature: this allows the air conditioner to change its energy use so it doesn’t have to run at full speed on mild days. You’ll also want to carefully inspect the warranty for each system—a good warranty will pay for the maintenance you need.

Putting a little energy into your technology now will improve your everyday efficiency without demanding unnecessary worry from you. In our house, it means the bill we receive each month for operating our well-tuned air conditioning system prevents me from heating up just from looking at it.

George Rollins is a writer for FurnaceCompare.com, a website that helps people find the most appropriate boiler, central air conditioner, heat pump or furnace. The site allows you to compare costs, efficiency ratings and consumer reviews.

Dollar Matters: Are You Prepared for What’s Next?

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 09:27 AM PDT

One of the most important things you can do for your finances is to be ready for what’s next. Whether you are preparing for being laid off, or need to protect your assets from the unexpected, it’s important be ready for what could be coming. Here are some great posts from the PF interwebs about how to get ready for what’s next:

What to Do When Laid Off – 5 Ways to Prepare for Job Loss

The prospect of unemployment is never fun, but you do need to think about it, and prepare yourself. Emma at Finance for a Freelance Life offers some insights into what you can do to ready yourself for a lay off.

Work For Yourself – How To Transition to Self Employment

A guest poster at Debt Free Adventure shares some insights into transitioning from being employed by “the man” to being self employed. Before you take the plunge, make sure you are ready — and that you’ve prepared the ground.

How to Recession Proof Your Life

Technically, we left the recession two years ago. However, you never know when one will come back. Glen at Free From Broke offers some helpful hints that can prevent you from being a victim of the next recession.

A Personal Directive gives direction for health care decisions

No, you don’t want to think about your own decline. However, you should be prepared. Jim Yih at Retire Happy Blog shares insights into writing a personal directive.

What is a Durable Healthcare Power of Attorney?

While your considering your health, and the possibility of death, you might want to learn more about power of attorney for health care. Jeff Rose at Good Financial Cents shares the ins and outs.

3 Ideas for Inexpensive Places to Retire

As you prepare for the phase of life known as retirement, you should consider costs. Emily at Moolanomy provides 3 ideas for places you can retire that should help you stretch your retirement dollars a little further.

Quick Tips for Reestablishing Your Credit

Michael guest posts at Len Penzo dot Com, sharing helpful tips for reestablishing your credit. These tips can help you get back on your feet financially.

10 Financial Lessons Your Kids Need to Learn

Prepare your children for what’s next in the real world of personal finances. Janet at Credit, Eh offers 10 ideas for lessons that every kid should learn before he or she leaves home.

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