Use Programmable Thermostats Properly to Maximize Cooling in Your Clearwater Home
A programmable thermostat can keep your home comfortable while maximizing your summertime energy savings. However, unless it’s used correctly, it will not do its job. Learn how to make your Tampa-Clearwater area home more comfortable while saving money at the same time.
Use programmable thermostats properly to manage your air conditioner. Select the model that best fits your lifestyle.
- A 7-day model is excellent if your daily schedule varies greatly from day to day. It gives you the flexibility to set different programs on different days to meet your schedule.
- A 5+2 day model uses the same schedule Monday through Friday, with a different schedule for the weekend.
- A 5-1-1-model is best for those who have a regular schedule through the week, but varying schedules on Saturdays and Sundays.
Set your HVAC thermostat program based on your schedule. Each day will have four settings: wake time, daytime, evening time and sleep time.
- Wake time should be when the first person in the house gets up for the day, and at a setting that’s about 78 degrees in the summer.
- Day time begins when the last person leaves for the day. The setting should be at an energy savings level, usually 7 to 10 degrees higher than wake time.
- Evening time starts when the first person returns from work or school. The setting should be at a comfortable level (about 75 degrees in summer, more or less depending on your preference).
- Sleep time begins when the last person goes to bed usually. The setting should be set 4 degrees higher than evening time, but not as high as daytime. This saves money without heating up the house at night.
Use the thermostat wisely:
- Install the thermostat on an inner wall, away from windows and heat producing appliances.
- Use the “hold” button only when going away for the weekend or on vacation.
- Resist the urge to override the programmed settings, unless someone is in the home at an unusual time.
If you want to learn more about programmable thermostats, contact us here at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating. We are your Clearwater and Tampa area home comfort specialists.
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Dirty Air Filter: 3 Problems It Can Cause
Although the air filter may seem like a minor part of your home’s HVAC system, its job is essential to keeping your family healthy, keeping your home clean and comfortable and prolonging the life of your HVAC system. Changing a clogged or dirty air filter may be inconvenient and messy, but by doing so in a timely manner, you can help prevent the following problems:
Reduced System Airflow
A dirty air filter will reduce the airflow through the forced-air cooling or heating system, which not only decreases your comfort level, but forces the HVAC system to run longer and work harder to move the air. This can prematurely wear out sensitive system components including compressor motors, blower motors, fan motors, pulley bearings and belts. Air conditioners may begin to freeze up if the reduced airflow slows the heat absorption in the evaporator coil, or furnaces may stop heating when the reduced airflow in the heat exchanger causes that component to overheat, shutting off the burners. Additionally, because the system is running much less efficiently, your utility bills will increase, sometimes dramatically.
Higher Indoor Air Pollution
With a dirty air filter, airborne particles such as dust, pollen, pet dander and other harmful pollutants will remain in the air, continually circulating throughout the house. This can cause breathing difficulties for anyone living in the home, but the situation is much worse for those who suffer from allergies, asthma, emphysema or other respiratory illnesses. Checking the air filter monthly, and cleaning or replacing it when necessary, can help keep your indoor air quality high and your family safe.
Accumulation of Excess Dust
Without being removed by the air filter, dust will begin to accumulate in more places around your home, increasing your cleaning workload. In addition, the dust will begin to gather in the air ducts, costing you extra money to have them cleaned.
To learn more about the effects of a dirty air filter on your health and your HVAC system, consult our experts at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating. We have been serving Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg and the surrounding areas since 1958.
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