Central Air efficiency

Increase The Efficiency Of Your Air Conditioner
By Jackie Kent
If you have ever spent the summer in Wichita Falls, Texas, or just the month of August in Sacramento, you appreciate your central air conditioner. Summer in any part of the world can be brutal, save the poles, without some kind of cooling system. There are easy tricks you can employ that will increase the efficiency of your central air conditioning system, increase the cooling factor, decrease the temperature within your home and lower your power usage, which will in turn lower your electric bill. First and foremost, just using common sense will save you a ton of money. If the temperature cools off in the evening, turn your air conditioner off and open windows. Letting the cool air in will work to cool your home in two ways. Thermal mass such as furniture and the structure of your house itself holds heat in and will release it into the air. Cooling the large structures by utilizing the outdoor temperatures will decrease the time the air conditioner needs to run and when it is on... Before the temperature begins to rise and when the sun shines, closing the windows and covering them, will keep the cool temperatures comfortable longer. Using the air conditioner only when the temperatures begin to rise inside the home will save money. Utilizing ceiling fans in each room used in your home will make the air feel cooler and decrease the need for lower temperatures to be obtained by the air conditioner... Close the air conditioner vents in the rooms not used in your homes. If your dining room is rarely used, or you have spare bedrooms, close those vents... Make sure your home is well insulated; drafts are just as uneconomical in the summer as they are in the winter. Use insulated drapes, especially on southern facing windows. Keep them closed during the day. These simple tips will keep your home cooler and use less energy, equaling lower energy bills...

source: http://www.allthingsfrugal.com/jk.air.htm accessed August 4, 2009 9:42p.m.