News Releases
National Grid Offers Tips for Efficient Air Conditioning
National Grid Offers Tips for Efficient Air Conditioning
July 22,2009
For much of the year, people in the northeastern United States are concerned with staying warm. However a different problem – keeping cool – faces us in the summer months, as heat and humidity sends us in search of shade, shorelines and air-conditioned spaces. National Grid offers the following suggestions for keeping homes air-conditioned in the most energy-efficient way possible:
Don’t cool unoccupied rooms, but don’t shut off too many registers with a central system either – the increased system pressure may harm the compressor.
If your air conditioner has an outside air option, use it sparingly. It is far more economical to re-circulate and cool the indoor air than to cool down the hot outside air to comfortable room temperatures.
Keep all doors and windows closed as much as possible when operating an air conditioner.
Most people are comfortable with the thermostat set at about 78 degrees Fahrenheit, however ceiling and portable room fans can increase the comfort range by circulating the air and allowing for comfort at a higher thermostat setting.
Reducing humidity will increase comfort at even warmer temperatures. Use a bathroom exhaust fan when you shower, don’t dry firewood in your basement, and don’t vent your clothes dryer inside.
Clean the air filters on room air conditioners monthly. They should never get dirty enough to impede airflow. The condenser should be cleaned by a professional every other year, or even annually in dusty conditions.
Central air conditioning units should be inspected, cleaned, and tuned by a professional annually to extend the life of the unit and reduce electricity consumption. Check with a service technician about the proper maintenance schedule.
In some geographic areas, financial rebates are available to customers to offset the cost of installing energy efficient central air conditioning and other energy efficient equipment. To learn more, visit www.thinksmartthinkgreen.com.
For more information on energy efficiency, including useful energy- and cost-saving tips, customers can visit National Grid’s website at www.thinksmartthinkgreen.com.
National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.
