The Ultimate Guide to Lowering Your Air Conditioning Bills: Part 2

In our last blog post, we talked about how you have tons of control over your air conditioning bill during the summer.

This time, it’s all about getting your ducts in a row–your air ducts, that is.

Your air ducts carry your cooled air around your home. So if something is wrong with them, then it won’t matter how energy efficient your air conditioner is. Your energy bills will skyrocket.

You’ll see why in a bit.

Here are our tips and resources for maintaining your home’s ductwork for maximum energy efficiency

Know when to seal your ducts

In a typical house, according to Energy Star, “about 20% of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. The result is higher utility bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set.”

Big deal, right? So how do you know if your ducts need sealing? And how do you seal them?

Learn how in our blog post: How to Tell if Your Air Ducts are Leaking Money.

But before you click on that link, be warned: Do NOT use duct tape to seal your ducts. It won’t turn out well.

Know when to replace your ducts

Sealing your ducts is important, but if your ducts are not:

• Properly sized
• Straight and direct
• Properly balanced

then you need a professional HVAC contractor to rework your duct system for maximum energy efficiency.

Learn more about this in our blog post: How Replacing Your Home’s Ducts Saves You Money.

Know when to add insulation around your ducts

Ducts that are not properly insulated lose cooled air in the summer, costing you money.

So is your home under-insulated? Possibly!

According to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), if your home is home 5 to 10 years old, then you probably own one of the 46 million under-insulated homes in the U.S.

Take 5 minutes and use this guide by Energy Star to see if your attic has enough insulation.

If you see that you don’t have enough insulation, use our guide on the 3 decisions your need to make before installing additional attic insulation.

Taking one step closer to big savings

Now you know when you need to:

• Seal your ducts
• Replace your ducts
• Add insulation to your home

Applying this knowledge gives you one big step to bigger energy efficiency savings with your air conditioner.

Look out for part 3 of our ultimate guide to lowering your air conditioning bills: Taking care of your air conditioner.

And, as always, if you have a question feel free to ask one of our Southern California air conditioning experts.