While the rest of the country is cooling off, Sarasota continues to experience hot and humid summer days. In fact, September and October can still provide some of our hottest days, with little relief coming until after the holidays. With such long seasons of heat, our electrical systems can take a real beating – especially supporting our central sir conditioning systems. No one wants to find themselves without cold air with temps still in the 80s and 90s, so we are here to help with tips to ensure your electrical system is protected from too much stress.
Tips to De-stress your Electrical System
The A/C is typically the largest drain on the electrical system, up to 50% of your electric bill. But appliances and other home fixtures can also be taking their toll. By tweaking a few things, you can begin to make a difference on how much your system is handling – here are a few tips.
- Maintain your A/C system regularly. We recommend a professional cleaning and tune up at least once a year – every 6 months is better!
- Install a smart thermostat. These devices can help you to keep your home cool when you are home, but to raise the temperature while you are gone for the day (at work, etc). Most experts agree the home temperature can be at 80 or so during the day, and the thermostat can cool the home down as you are returning home. This means your A/C system doesn’t have to work so hard all day to keep the home cool.
- Check the ductwork in your attic for any leaks. If your A/C is going all day, trying maintain a cool temperature, but your ductwork is allowing the air to escape, the electrical system is working overtime to no avail. While you are up there, check on your insulation and make sure it is sufficient to keep hot air in your attic, and not seeping into your home.
- Similarly, if your filters are dirty, the A/C – and thus your electrical system – are working too hard to cool the inside of your home. Clean filters can substantially reduce the effort it takes. If you have pets, you’ll need to replace these filters more often.
- Check to make sure the seals on your refrigerator are tight. Operate the refrigerator at 37°-40°F, and the freezer at 0°-5°F.
- Even in the summer, most people don’t want to take a cold shower. Your water heater can put a real strain on your electrical system. Experts recommend setting the water heater to 120 degrees, and ensuring that the tank is adequately insulated. Turn off the hot water heater when it is not needed.
- Mom was right – you should definitely turn off the lights when you leave the room. Not only the lights, but the TV, computer, printer and radio as well. In fact, people don’t realize that these items account for over 20% of your electrical system load. Simply turning them off helps to relieve stress on the system. In fact, any appliances that can be completely unplugged when not in use should be.
- Take advantage of the great evening weather and grill outside as much as possible. Using your stove and oven raises the temperature in your home, and requires the A/C to kick in and work even harder to maintain a cool temperature.
By not stressing your electrical system, you can keep repairs and failures to a minimum. Call Promise Electric today to schedule an onsite energy audit, or to discuss ways that your electric can work harder for you. Our master electricians are pros, and we are here to help.
