Save on Your Energy Bill: 10 Ways to Reduce AC Usage in Houston

As a Houston homeowner, high electricity bills during the sweltering summer months are an unfortunate reality. Running your AC nonstop to keep your home cool can take a major toll on your wallet. Luckily, there are steps you can take to reduce your AC usage and save on your energy bill without sacrificing comfort. With smart maintenance, efficiency upgrades, and simple adjustments to how you use your cooling system, you can slash your energy costs this summer.

Audit Your Home’s Insulation

One of the best ways to lower AC costs in Houston is to prevent cooled air from escaping in the first place. Heat and humidity can seep through tiny cracks and gaps in your home’s insulation, forcing your AC unit to work harder than necessary. Take a weekend to inspect all access points like windows, doors, attic hatches, and exterior walls for leakage. Feel around windows and doors for drafts, and examine walls for condensation or mold growth. Use caulk and weatherstripping to seal any cracks or openings.

Increasing insulation in your attic is also hugely impactful. Most homes built before 2000 have only 6 inches of insulation or less, while modern standards call for at least 10-14 inches. Having an insulation contractor blow in additional insulation can pay for itself in energy savings in just a few years. Proper insulation keeps cooled air circulating inside your home instead of leaking outside. Your AC unit will require less power to maintain the interior temperature you want.

Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat

Replacing your old thermostat with an advanced smart thermostat is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce AC energy usage. Smart thermostats like the Nest Learning Thermostat or the Ecobee Smart Thermostat can save homeowners 15-23% on cooling costs according to energy.gov. Smart thermostats track your temperature preferences and establish a schedule based on your habits. This prevents wasted energy from cooling an empty home or letting the temperature fluctuate widely when you’re out.

You can also control a smart thermostat remotely from your smartphone to adjust the temperature as needed. This allows you to pre-cool your home before arriving back from work, cutting down on runtime. Smart thermostats learn your behavior over time and make automatic adjustments to improve efficiency. And many utility companies offer rebates for upgrading to a qualifying smart thermostat model.

Try a Programmable or Smart Power Strip

Did you know many appliances and electronics draw power even when switched off or not in active use? Televisions, cable boxes, chargers, computers and more use “idle power” that adds up quickly. Plugging these devices into a programmable or smart power strip allows you to cut power completely when not needed. You can set schedules to turn off specific outlets automatically at certain times.

This prevents wasted energy from phantom draws and reduces the heat generated inside your home from electronics. Your AC won’t have to offset as much ambient heat, meaning less run time.

Change Air Filters Frequently

A dirty, clogged air filter forces your AC system to work much harder to push air through. Changing your air filters at least every 30-60 days during peak summer keeps airflow unrestricted. Make a habit of inspecting filters monthly and replacing whenever they appear dirty. Sign up for regular air duct cleaning services as well to clear out built up dust and debris. Unobstructed airflow increases the efficiency of your AC system. Your unit can run less to generate the same cooling effect.

Adjust Vents and Registers

Are certain rooms in your home consistently hotter or cooler than others? Make sure cool air is being distributed evenly through proper vent and register adjustments. Close vents and registers partially in rooms that get chilly quickly. Open them wider in rooms that don€™t cool well. Adjusting the flow balances out hot and cold spots, reducing the cooling needed. You can also install inexpensive vent deflectors to better direct air flow. Deflect cool air coming from the vent up toward the ceiling in rooms with high ceilings. This pushes cooled air deeper into the room instead of letting it pool at floor level.

Use Ceiling Fans Properly

Ceiling fans are most homeowners’ first line of defense against the Houston heat. But did you know ceiling fans can also minimize your AC usage? The key is to run ceiling fans on a low setting in occupied rooms. The gentle breeze makes you feel 2-3° cooler than the actual air temperature. You can thus raise your thermostat a few degrees higher without impacting comfort. Make sure the ceiling fans are spinning in a counterclockwise direction during summer. This pushes air downward, creating a cooling wind chill effect. Use smart ceiling fan controls to automatically adjust speeds based on season. Fans on low speed in summer can reduce AC runtimes by up to 10% per day.

Install Energy Efficient Windows

Houston summer sunlight streaming through windows heats up indoor air rapidly. Much of your AC’s cooling capacity goes toward offsetting this solar heat gain. Installing energy efficient windows with low-emissivity coatings and tints can drastically reduce heat transfer into your home. Other features like double panes, thermal breaks, and insulated frames also help.

Replacing old windows with ENERGY STAR models can lower cooling costs by 7-15%. Any south or west facing windows hit hardest by the summer sun should be top priorities for upgrades. Just make sure to avoid extremely dark tints, which can still allow heat absorption. Lighter tints that block infrared light but maintain visibility work best.

Weatherize Your Attic Access Point

Your attic opening or pull-down stairs likely has little insulation and seals poorly. This allows cooled air to escape into the scorching hot attic space. Sealing and weatherizing your attic access is one of the fastest payoffs. Use sheet metal and high-density insulation to cover the opening when closed. Ensure latches and hinges form tight seals. For pull down stairways, install rigid foam board insulation with weatherstripping on the backside. Maintain insulation contact by adding pneumatic or spring loaded hinges. Sealing attic openings could reduce yearly cooling costs by up to $150. It also improves humidity control by preventing moist interior air from entering your attic.

Strategically Use Shade Elements

Shading your home’s exterior keeps intense sunlight from heating up the walls, roof, and windows. This reduces heat transmitted indoors and lowers AC workload. Consider installing covered patios, awnings, exterior solar screens, window films, roof overhangs, or shade trees. Strategically shade any west or south facing areas vulnerable to afternoon sun exposure. Also close drapes, blinds and shades on windows hit by direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. The less solar heat makes it inside, the less your AC must counteract it.

Have Your Ductwork Evaluated

If certain parts of your home aren€™’t cooling well, faulty duct work may be to blame. Restrictions, leaks, and insulation issues cause up to 30% of cooled air to be lost before reaching vents. Have an HVAC pro perform a thorough duct inspection using advanced diagnostics. They can identify and seal leaks, remove blockages, replace damaged ducts, and insulate bare metal ducts. Properly sealing and insulating duct-work saves the average home 10-20% on energy bills. Your AC won€™t have to run overtime just to compensate for losses.

Consider Radiant Barriers

Radiant barriers work by reflecting heat rather than absorbing it. Installing them under your roof or on attic floors can lower heat flow into your living spaces. On hot sunny days, up to 90% of an attic’s heat comes from radiation from the hot roof decking. Radiant barriers dramatically reduce this radiant heat transfer.

While more costly than insulation, radiant barriers paired with proper insulation can lower attic temperatures by up to 30°F. This takes substantial strain off your AC unit. Just take care to install them correctly with proper clearances. A professional assessment of your attic and ductwork is recommended prior to installing.

Take Control of Your Energy Costs

With Houston’s long and brutal summers, high AC bills are difficult to avoid completely. But you’re not powerless against the heat and humidity. Take the time to optimize, seal, and upgrade your home’s insulation, ductwork, and equipment. And be smart about how and when you run your AC system. Little adjustments and improvements add up to real savings. You can maintain the comfortable indoor climate your family needs while keeping more money in your wallet.

Don’t let fear of sticker shock prevent you from calling in the pros either. Investing in major efficiency upgrades and repairs today saves you bigger repair and replacement costs down the road.

Ready to stop wasting money cooling an inefficient home? Contact the experts at Turbo Home Services for an AC optimization assessment. Call (281) 626-5938 or visit https://turbohomeservices.com/contact-us/ to schedule your consultation. Our team serves Houston homeowners with solutions to improve comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency.