In the summer, cooling your home can account for half of your summer power use. Central Air Conditioning seems like something we could never live without – but that comfort comes with a hefty price. A 2.5-ton central system uses about 3500 watts. At 12 cents per kilowatt hour, it costs 42 cents an hour to run your air conditioning unit – which doesn’t sound like a lot – but multiplied over 24 hours, it’s a $10 a day expense which you probably don’t pay in the other seasons. Over the course of a month, summer can cost your family $300 or more in extra electricity costs. Naturally, it’s not necessary to continually run an air conditioner 24 hours a day – especially if you follow these tips.1. Set your thermostat at a higher temperature whenever possible. Each degree you raise the thermostat above 78 degrees will save 6 to 8 percent on your cooling bill. The larger the difference in temperature between the inside and outside of your home, the harder your AC will have to work to maintain that difference.

For kicks, see if you can stand one more degree higher. If you follow a few of the tips below, you’ll have no problem raising the thermostat a few degrees higher.2. Get a programmable thermostat and set it! If you’re always gone from your home during the day, there is no reason to keep your home cool. It’s a myth that maintaining a cool temperature throughout the day costs less than cooling the house down shortly before you get home. You can either remove a house full of heat one time – or many times throughout the day. Either way, you’ll quickly get to the same temperature at 5:30 when you come home. Unlike, liquids or solids, the temperature of air can be changed fairly quickly because it’s much less dense.If you’re tech-savvy, consider purchasing a thermostat that can be controlled and programmed from your web browser or smart phone. If you go out with your family for the day and forget to turn off the air conditioning, a couple clicks may save you an extra $5 to $10 dollars that day.

If you decide you want to tweak your cooling plan based on the weather, you can do so at any time. Home Depot currently sells one from Filtrete for $99. I’ve been using this model and I love it ““ but then again, I get a bit overly excited about things like this.3. Ceiling fans can make it feel 3-8 degrees cooler than it actually is. Think of the electricity you’ll save as you raise your AC 5 degrees higher and turn on those rotating blades. how to repair a central ac unitA ceiling fan can cost around a penny an hour to run. central ac units problemsYou can run more than 40 ceiling fans for the same cost of your central AC. Make sure that your ceiling fan always blows down at you. ac unit will not cut onA fan blowing up does little to no good to keep you cool and it doesn’t actually lower the temperature of the room so there’s no point in keeping it running when you leave.

A fan has one job: to blow away the warm air surrounding your body.4. Clean or replace your filters at the beginning of every month. The cost of running your air conditioning with a dirty filter will far negate trying to get more mileage from your existing filters. In heavier use seasons, filters are just going to get dirty – and you want a clean filter for maximum efficiency. Purchasing permanent filters which you can wash and reuse will save you money. currently has permanent air filters under $20 (plus shipping).5. Close shades, drapes and blinds. Direct sunlight can raise the temperature in a room by 10-20 degrees.6. Close vents in rooms not used as often. There’s no sense paying to cool a room nobody is using.7. Reduce heat from lighting and other heat producing electronics. Conventional light bulbs put off a lot of heat. This is heat that you’ll need to pay to cool down. A better solution is compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL)- which use far less electricity and produce very little heat.

Your tv and computers may be energy efficient – but if they produce a lot of heat, you’ll be forced to pay to offset that generated heat. Turn off everything that doesn’t need to be on.8. Home maintenance: Have your AC unit serviced each year, make sure your condenser has nothing obstructing it like tall grass or weeds, make sure your doors and windows are well-sealed, check your insulation.9. Go somewhere and enjoy the air conditioning of a place that will allow some low-cost recreation. If you work from home, and can take your work with you, turn off your own a/c and consider finding a cool spot to work. Go to the library, attend church activities, find someplace with an indoor play area.10. If you really need to cool down in a hurry, use water. Often times, rinsing off in the shower or sink is all you need to feel comfortable again. Of, course, if you can use the neighbor’s pool or head to the beach, all the better way to enjoy a summer day./ /electricity/For the ultimate guide to SLASHING your home utility bill, please check out my Home Energy and Utility Money Saving eCourse!

A window air conditioning unit provides a convenient way to cool a room—and is an economical alternative to retrofitting a house with central air. Labor costs commonly range from $70 to $150 to install a typical window unit, but if preparation requirements or the size or location of the air conditioner call for extra time, skill, or manpower, the cost of the could reach $300 or more.Installing a window air conditioning unit is usually a pretty straightforward process, making it a good project for a handyman or a competent do-it-yourselfer. If a window can easily accept the unit without modifications or extra support and there is a power supply available at the site, a handyman can probably secure, connect, and test an air conditioner within an hour. If there isn’t an appropriate power supply nearby, you’ll need to call in an electrician to install an outlet prior to the installation. Most installation work is priced according to the time involved, and some pros charge flat rates for straightforward jobs.

It’s common for a handyman or installer to charge a minimum fee of $50 to $100 for this kind of work, or between $25 and $60 per hour. If there is some site preparation or other work required, such as the installation of a support bracket or drainage line, the cost of installation will reflect the added time and any materials used for the job. Installing a window air conditioner is an economical way to cool a single room or area, and installing one is much simpler than setting up a central or ductless system. If you’re able to install the unit on your own you can pocket the cost of labor, but even if you bring in a pro it’s still an affordable job. Most window air conditioner installations involve placing the unit in an open window, adding support on the exterior wall if needed, sealing the space around the unit, and connecting it to a power source. The ease of installation makes this a quick project for a handyman or other pro. Hiring a pro to install a window AC unit can help ensure it operates correctly and efficiently.

A pro will take steps to ensure you have the right power source for your model and that it is installed correctly to prevent damage to your window and keep condensate water from leaking inside your home. The height and accessibility of a window can affect the cost of installing an AC unit. Though most air conditioners are set in place from the inside, some require brackets on the outside of the wall to support their weight. If your air conditioner is going in an upper level window and your pro needs to install brackets from a ladder, the cost of the job will go up. The ease with which your installer can access the window from inside is important, too. If the AC unit needs to be carried upstairs or placed in a high window, the job could be more challenging than working from the floor at the ground level of the home. Some window styles accommodate air conditioners better than others, and if yours needs some modifications to fit the unit securely, the extra time and materials used will add to the bottom line.

Double-hung windows are typically the simplest to work with, and require little or no modification. In order to get a secure installation in a sliding or casement window, removing a sash and/or installing a solid panel may be necessary to seal the opening around the unit. The cost of an air conditioner typically goes up with its size or capacity, but the size and weight of the appliance can affect the cost of installation as well. If your installer needs a second person to carry and maneuver the unit into position, labor could cost twice as much than if a pro can handle the job alone. Also, larger units are more likely to require the installation of support brackets, which could add $50 to $100 to the cost of the job. The capacity of air conditioners is measured in BTUs, and units are generally labeled for their ability to cool a room up to a certain size. In order to get the most effective and efficient operation from your air conditioner, be sure to choose one that is suited for the place you’ll install it.

Also check to see if the unit requires support brackets to prevent damage to the air conditioner or the window. An air conditioner should be plugged directly into a receptacle, not used with an extension cord. Many modern units plug into a standard grounded 110 outlet, but some larger units require 220 or 230 volt connections. If there is not an appropriate outlet near your installation site, an electrician will need to install one before the AC can be connected. This job can cost between $100 and $250 in most cases, depending on the accessibility of the wiring and the distance to the electrical panel. While the installation of a window air conditioner is usually a straightforward job, the process can be simpler when the installation site is ready to go. Simple steps like removing the window screen and moving furniture out of the way can make the job go faster and smoother for your pro. If you’ve determined that you need a new electrical outlet to suit your air conditioner, be sure to have that job complete before scheduling the AC installation.

Since your installer will need to work from the inside of your house, you’ll need to be home at the time of the job. If you are supplying the AC unit for the installation, be sure to have it ready for your pro; if you’re buying a new unit, make sure it’s on site in time for the appointment and if you’re installing one you already own, be sure to have it out of storage or at least accessible. Check ahead of time to determine if your air conditioner requires support brackets and whether your installer will supply them. Installing a window air conditioner is a fairly straightforward project, but the type and location of a window and any special preparation involved can affect the price of the job.Simple Install: $60 - $125Moving on Up: $110 - $220Custom Modification: $275 - $550 Installing a window air conditioner in a prepared site is a great job for a beginning DIYer with enough muscle for the job. If the project calls for extra manpower or some modifications to provide a secure installation, hiring a handyman or installer is the best way to ensure a proper installation.