Paying for Paradise with Pennies- Saving on Your A/C Bill June 13, 2013byBonita Springs Filed underTipsLeave a Comment Southwest Florida is a lush, tropical paradise where residents and tourists alike enjoy the great outdoors year-round. From November to May, we enjoy an average temperature of 76° while others battle snow and ice encrusted everything. I shiver just contemplating giving up my shorts and flip flops for a snow parka! Yikes. The snowbirds flock to our white sand beaches to bask in the glorious sunshine and golf on our pristine courses. And all the while our economy runs like it should, we all forget for a bit that there even was a recession, and we are happy. Alas, June arrives and we throw “End of Season” parties, celebrating the return of our roads, local restaurants, shops and sand space! Towards the end of this party our temperatures soar into the nineties, the humidity is so high you can taste it, and we take refuge where ever there is an air conditioned space! We sit, and we brood about how ungodly HOT it is, only to see our monthly electric costs doubling, sometimes even tripling virtually overnight. Then, we beg for the return of our seasonal residents and their disposable income. But, we live where they vacation. That has to mean something, right? Are these long hot summer days worth it? Dare I say it – are we smarter than the average bear? This means we should be able to effectively handle our ‘out of season’ costs, right? Wrong! Sometimes those FP&L; bills sneak up on you like overage charges for accidentally exceeding your data limits with Verizon. You feel slighted, perhaps even resentful; how could FP&L raise your bill so exceedingly high, don’t they realize it’s off season! Well, cupcake ‘they’ do not care. FPL has been supplying electricity to Florida for more than 75 years. They provide service to nearly 8 million people or about half the state of Florida and produce electricity at 34 generating plants. They deliver this through a system that includes 1.3 million poles and more than 70,000 miles of overhead and underground transmission and distribution lines. This is a very complex, and very exenerpensive infrastructure. And, this is not free. There is light at the end of the tunnel! Florida isn’t going anywhere anytime soon so the good news is – Those snowbirds will be back in droves come November! Maybe even more this time around!! Until November, you’ll need to save your pennies. These tips will help you reduce the amount of energy you pay to run your air conditioner. How? You’ll use it less, and use electricity more efficiently. Ways to Save Money and Energy 1. Scheduling is smart! We schedule to work, to play, and to eat. Why not schedule when to pay for Air Conditioning? By purchasing a programmable thermostat you can control when the Air Conditioning system comes on or turns off. This basically means you are only paying for what you’re receiving. Programmable Thermostats come in the most basic of forms, to the most technologically advanced form. The options really are endless and some models even allow you to control your A/C system from virtually anywhere! One even learns about from your routines&habits and schedules itself! 2. Protect your protection Clogged filters are one of the MOST common reasons for costly service issues. Filters are a barrier against dust, dirt, and Florida’s salty, sandy air. Dirty, impacted filters cause your HVAC system to work harder. (It’s like breathing through a thick paper bag), using more energy. This means that dirty filters not only can cause operational problems, but can also cause you to write larger checks to FP&L or LCEC! 3. Have a BBQ Summer will eternally be the season of hamburgers, hotdogs, and watermelon, won’t it? Indoor cooking can significantly raise temperatures, which makes your A/C system work harder to keep you cooling. Wheel out the ol’ charcoal grill and fire it up! 4. Let’s Celebrate Arbor Day! Really, it already passed? Better late than never! It’s time to start thinking about landscaping people. A well placed tree or shrub can deliver shade, act as a wind break, and reduce energy costs! According to the US Department of Energy, a carefully positioned tree can save up to 25%of the energy a typical household uses. Research shows that summer day time air temperatures can be 3 to 6 degrees cooler in tree shaded neighborhoods than in treeless neighborhoods. 5. Icynene Go ahead, say it again. Did you pronounce it right? “ICY-NEEN” is spray foam insulation. Air leaks can increase energy costs. Icynene spray foam insulation provides both r-value insulation and an air barrier to stop heat loss and cooling loss – to increase energy efficiency. 6. Do you have ducks or ducts? You have ducts. Ductwork is basically the tubing that moves air throughout your home or business. Is it leaking? No, duct tape will not fix it, mastic will though. An FPL representative can visit your home and test your duct system. If repairs are needed, you might be entitled to anFPL rebate. (That’s right, money BACK folks!) Schedule your home energy survey duct test, call 1-800-DIAL-FPL. They have an array of other money saving programs too! 7. Invest in peace of mind This one doesn’t really SAVE you money monthly, but pays off should one of our scary summer storms blast your A/C system with a surge of power. Power surges are the silent killer for home appliances and HVAC equipment. Most homeowners protect their electronics, but leave more valued equipment unsecured. Surges can wipe out equipment and leave you searching for answers. Search no more. The easy-to-installAG3000 surge protector is the perfect add-on for HVAC equipment. It features unmatched surge protection ratings and a 3-year, $7,500 connected equipment warranty. 8. HAVE IT CHECKED OUT I cannot stress how important it is for homeowners and business owners to have a licensed HVAC contractorperform an annual cleaning / maintenance to your system. A dirty system is an inefficient system, which costs more. Plain enough kids, call a reputable A/C contractortoday. My goal is to educate, assist, and develop lasting relationships within our Southwest Florida community! Please contact me anytime should you have any questions! Written by:Natalie VandettiMartin’s Cooling&Heating, Inc.
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