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AC Services for Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and North Port since 1978

Tags: North Port AC Installation, North Port AC Installation Companies, North Port Air Conditioning, North Port Air Conditioning Installation, North Port Indoor Air Quality

It’s hot out there and it seems to get worse every year! As the thermometer rises, so does your electric bill!

A 2018 study found that the average home electricity bill was about $117! But, you can’t get comfortable in a home that feels like a sweatbox!

Some homeowners have started trying to cut their cooling bills by supercooling their homes. But does it work and is it safe for your AC system?

We put together a quick guide to explain all about how to supercool your home with your north port air conditioning system. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know before tinkering with your thermostat.

What Is Supercooling?

Have you noticed that your air conditioner tends to run all day when the weather gets hot? All that work takes a toll on your AC unit and your electricity bill.

Instead of battling to keep your house at the perfect temperature all day long, try chilling your house as well as all your belongings/ furniture once a day, before the peak heat hours hit. With the whole house and all your stuff chilled to a few degrees below where you want it, the house will maintain its own temperature for longer because your things need to warm-up also.

Think of it as a portable cooler. If you pack the cooler full of ice and cold drinks, the cooler takes longer to warm up than if you only blew cold air into it.

You don’t need to do this every day either! If you’re not home, don’t worry about the house getting a little out of your comfort zone.

Will It Damage Your North Port Air Conditioning System?

Let’s face it, some AC repair bills make you wince a bit. Recent studies found that the average air conditioner repair bill in the US costs $225!

But, will blasting your air conditioning once a day cause damage to the unit?

The answer depends on your AC unit. If your system is old or damaged and can’t operate for a long time, then you’ll need to repair your unit before trying this home cooling method.

If your AC unit is in good repair, it does no more damage to your system than running the system like a normal day. Since your AC only starts up once a day, it could do less harm than normal summer use!

How to Chill Your Home and Cut Energy Use

Ok, so it’s safe for most AC units… but, how do you get your air conditioning system to chill your house to the right point?

The idea is to chill your whole house down to around 60º F, including your belongings and furniture.

Not only do you want to get to this super cold temperature once a day, but the time of day that you switch on your unit makes a difference too! Your electric company charges higher prices for peak hour energy use. So, if you use your air conditioner during peak hours, you’ll pay even more to cool your home!

The best time to chill your home is after the sun goes down or early in the morning before the sun starts to warm the house.

You might want to call your electric company and ask them to go over their rates and what hours qualify as peak hours. You don’t need to tell them you plan on blasting your air conditioner once a day, but knowing how they bill usage can help you dial in the best time to chill the house.

Final Thoughts, Tips, and Tricks

If you find that overnight chilling works best for you, consider keeping a couple of extra blankets near your bed. Keeping yourself tucked in and toasty under the covers means you won’t get too cold. As a bonus, many people find it easier to sleep when the house is cold!

Some people find that the bulk of their energy use happens during off-peak hours. If this is the case, there is little to no benefit of chilling your house. It’s not worth the time and effort you’ll waste figuring out what the best times are and remembering to switch the thermostat on or off.

For those who have a hard time remembering to turn the AC on and off at the right time, consider getting a programmable thermostat. You program the thermostat to turn on and off and even temperature parameters, so it does all the work for you!

Also, don’t get discouraged if the first electric bill doesn’t look lower. It can take you a cycle or two to dial in the most energy-efficient way to use your AC unit to chill the house. Wait for two or three billing cycles before deciding if this method works for you.

Tell Your Electric Company to Chill Out!

You can’t control mother nature or how hot it is outside, but you can keep cool without breaking the bank! It takes a little effort on your part, but you can beat the heat.

Keep these tips in mind if you decide to try supercooling your home. If you do it wrong, you could end up with a higher north port air conditioning bill than before!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learned a few things about how to lower your AC costs by chilling your house once a day.

If you have any questions, or if you need some AC repairs in Port Charlotte, get in touch with us!