Every home has a cooling load, a specific amount of cooling that must be generated by your air conditioner or heat pump to meet preferred temperature levels. The cooling load can be higher or lower, depending on structural characteristics of your home, the local climate and how effectively your home keeps cool air in and warm air out. Lowering your cooling load will, by extension, lower your monthly energy bills. For leaner energy bills, consider these ways to lower your cooling load:

• Maintain your cooling system: Preventive maintenance on your air conditioner or heat pump is probably the best way to keep the system working efficiently and effectively. A well-maintained cooling system will produce the largest amount of cooling at the lowest cost possible. Contact your HVAC contractor to schedule a professional tune-up and maintenance appointment. Check the system’s filter every month, and change it when it’s dirty.
• Stop heat gain: Reduce or eliminate sources of excess indoor heat. Close your drapes during the day. If you don’t have any drapes, buy panels with a reflective or white backing, or install shutters. Avoid using your oven; instead, use your microwave, toaster oven or countertop grill. Make sure your clothes dryer is vented to the outside. Replace heat-generating incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.
• Seal air and energy leaks: Find and plug sources of air and energy loss where cool air can escape and warm air can enter your home. Inspect ductwork for loose connections, missing or detached sections or other conditions that allow conditioned air to escape. Repair or replace as needed. Find and seal any gaps or openings in your home’s structure, especially at points where the frame meets the foundation or attic floor. Seal around openings where pipes, conduits and wires penetrate walls of your home.

Rheem Pro Partner is metropolitan Denver’s leading provider of professional heating and air conditioning sales, service, and maintenance. Contact us for more information on how to lower your home’s cooling load for leaner energy bills.

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