You will easily find that a large portion of your utility bills each year are from cooling down your home with central air conditioning. When the system isn't working right, it needs to work even harder to do its job, which causes those bills to go even higher. Thankfully, there are ways to cut back on energy costs that don't mean having a hot house.

Use The Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are not only supposed to be used when you have your air conditioning turned off. These appliances can actually contribute to cooling down your home. In the summer, make sure that your ceiling fans are turning counter-clockwise in order to maximize their effectiveness. This will help pull hot air up towards the ceiling and keep cool air near the floor. If the fans are running in the opposite direction, it will be pushing hot air towards the floor, which makes the air that you feel a bit warmer. If the fans are not spinning in the correct direction, just flip the switch on the side of your ceiling fan's motor.

Making rooms feel cooler means that you can turn up the thermostat a couple degrees and save money

Cool Down Your Condenser 

The AC's condenser was designed to operate outside, but you can still take some steps to make sure that the unit is not running too hot. Start by removing debris around the condenser that could be obstructing airflow. This includes twigs that are caught in the fins around the condenser, or brush that has overgrown and is now too close to the unit.

If you are installing a new air conditioner and have the option of where to put it, place it in a spot that sees plenty of shade. This will cause the unit to stay cooler when it is operating, and will use less energy to run.

Prevent Heat From Getting In Your House

It's nice to have the curtains open on a sunny summer day, but you are actually letting heat into your house that will make your AC work harder than it has to. While you are away at work for the day, close those curtains to prevent the sun from warming up your home. Once you get home in the evening, you can enjoy the sun while you can with the house already cooled down.

For more tips on how to get your AC to work more efficiently, speak to an HVAC contractor in your area (like River City Heating & Cooling).