Keep your home at a comfortable temperature while not spending a fortune

By Erin McClary
C & G Staff Writer

During the dog days of summer, a cool home is something many residents living in metro Detroit keep at high priority. Unfortunately, running your air conditioning unit 24/7 can hike up the electrical bills — but only if your unit is not properly maintained, say local heating and cooling experts.

To avoid high bills, a hot house or simply a rickety central air conditioning unit, regular maintenance throughout the summer months is key. Simply spraying down your outdoor condenser with a hose, changing your filters monthly and keeping nearby shrubbery within a foot from the unit can help save money and energy while maintaining a constant, comfortable temperature in your home.

“You want to keep the outside condenser clean,” said Brian Zook of Stewart Heating and Cooling in Royal Oak. “Use water and hose it off. Buildup of cottonseed and dirt can restrict the airflow, which takes more energy to get the job done.”

And using less energy means more money saved, said Mike Corrian of C&C Heating and Air Conditioning in Roseville. Corrian encourages homeowners to invest in the better quality central air systems because they not only provide balanced cooling throughout the home, but they also make for a much “greener” solution.

“When you’re talking about saving energy, buy the upgraded units with higher efficiency. That’s green,” said Corrian. Known around his office as “Mr. Green,” Corrian is always looking for ways to save energy.

A common misconception when trying to cool the home is shutting vents in an attempt to direct the cold airflow to another floor of the home. Zook said shutting vents in the basement is something homeowners should do; however, closing vents on the first floor or any other portion of the home is a bad idea.

Adam Fitzgerald of AAC Services in Warren said when residents feel they have to shut certain vents to cool bigger sections of the home, it may be time for a tuneup.

“If people have to do that, there’s something really wrong,” he said of shutting first-floor vents to better cool the second floor. When cool air stops reaching certain parts of the home, blowers may not be working properly. Either way, Fitzgerald said, closing any registers other than those in the basement is not a wise thing to do.

“If your system’s not working properly, and everything’s cleaned, you might be low on Freon.”

In order to assure that cool air is making it to every room you chose, at the right time of the day, Corrian suggests purchasing a zoning program or a newer air conditioning system equipped with zoning features.

“These units cost less to operate while getting the cooling and heating evenly distributing throughout the home,” he said. “Making it so the system is more balanced and more even saves money.”

For those who cannot afford a new system or zoning upgrade, Zook recommends turning the thermostat up a few degrees when no one will be home. Some experts also suggest maintaining a steady 70 degrees at all times to keep energy costs low throughout the year.

“Cooling-wise, the warmer they keep it, the cheaper it will be,” Zook said. “Set the thermostat back during work hours, the same way you would with heating in the winter.”

But if your blowers are working, your condenser and filter are clean, all the vents are open and your house still isn’t the temperature you’d like it to be, their might be a Freon leak. When that happens, an expert needs to be called.

Every season, many heating and cooling businesses offer tuneups, where a technician will come to your home, clean or replace your filter, check the coils and measure Freon levels. Most seasonal tuneups cost around $70, and Fitzgerald said all central air conditioning units should be checked by an expert every five to six years. On average in Michigan, if your system is properly cared for, it should last about 15 years.

Fitzgerald stresses that residents should take good care of their current air conditioning systems because within the next few years, a federally required transition from R22 Freon use to R410 will cost homeowners with new units much more money.

“A new Freon, R410, will eventually take over, and it’s going to cost so much more,” he said.

Because the new units will only use R410, they’ll cost about $600 to $1,000 more. The new Freon will be more expensive; however, it’s supposed to be more “ozone friendly,” more efficient and longer-lasting.

Right now, for a newly installed air conditioning unit to cool a 1,200-square-foot home, the cost is around $1,800 to $2,000. And during a typical hot month, an effective system should only raise your electric bill about $32. Fitzgerald said homeowners shouldn’t be paying more than a dollar for each new filter, which should be changed once a month during the summer.

To cool a smaller home or apartment, other options are available. Window units, which cost around $80, are inexpensive but suck up a lot of energy during the summer months and will generally only cool the room it’s located in. PTAC units, which are installed right into the wall, will cool a small area of the home while not blocking sunlight like a window unit might, but they range around $500 to $700.

“Window units are the cheapest way to go, but you’re paying substantially more for your electric bill,” said Fitzgerald.

All in all, experts agree that the most effective way to cool a home while saving energy and keeping costs low is through a well-maintained central air conditioning system.

“Purchasing a higher quality system will give you more comfort and higher efficiency,” said Corrian. “It’s a win-win situation, it just costs a little extra.”

You can reach Staff Writer Erin McClary at emcclary@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1118.