DORR, Mich. — A heat wave across much of West Michigan has air conditioners running nonstop — and for many homeowners, that means bracing for higher energy bills.
Dan Wilson, a service technician for Valley City Mechanical in Byron Center, said the hot stretch brings a surge in calls.
"When we have hot weeks, you know, people tend to start calling the phone, the phones start ringing and don't seem to stop," Wilson said.
Wilson said this time of year makes it critical to ensure your AC is running properly — and that means not cutting corners on service.
"It's really important to not rush through it," Wilson said. "Things can be very expensive for customers in our trade, so us giving them our undivided attention, their equipment, our undivided attention, so they know they're getting their money's worth."
Wilson outlined several steps homeowners can take to keep energy costs down.
"There's numerous things that homeowners can do to ultimately keep energy costs down while the AC is always running," Wilson said.
1.) Check your air filter
The most common — and overlooked — fix is also the simplest.
"It'll be worth it in the summertime when the AC seems to be running a lot, even going monthly with filter changes. We normally recommend every three months, but just staying up to date with those is the number one thing," Wilson said.
2.) Set your thermostat and leave it
Avoid making big temperature swings throughout the day.
"We advise during these hot weeks to not do that, keep it at one set temperature throughout the whole week," Wilson said.
3.) Check your home's insulation
"Insulation is a huge, huge part in heating and cooling equipment," Wilson said. "If it's realistic for you to update your windows, newer windows also help, having a good seal around those windows, and them not being drafty limits that that loss and keeps energy costs down."
4.) Clean your outdoor unit
A garden hose is all it takes to keep your outdoor unit running efficiently.
"I recommend just soft water, grabbing a hose, and you can ultimately basically just hose it right from the top down," Wilson said. "The fan motor really struggles to bring air from around it and reject it up, and so then that heat is actually getting brought back in to the indoor coil. At that point, the AC system's not working properly."
The long-term payoff
Wilson said the savings from these habits may not show up immediately on a monthly bill, but they add up significantly over time.
"In the long run, you might not see it in your month-to-month energy bill right away, but when you look back on it, that, 'hey, we've been in this house 10 years. Holy cow, we saved, you know, $3,000,'" Wilson said.
Wilson also recommends homeowners have their AC unit professionally inspected at least once a year.
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