Any business owner will tell you that trying to slash their overhead costs, specifically their air conditioning costs, is a dilemma that can keep them up at night.
And, when it comes to the Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, we’re talking about energy uses that reach 15% of the total amount used by commercial buildings.
Just doing some sealing retrofits can save a business owner between 15% to 20% of their energy costs.
If this is an issue for your organization, then no worries. You’ve come to the right place to figure out a solution.
Keep on reading for our full breakdown on how to reduce your air conditioning costs and reaching a higher degree of sustainability.
Decreasing Air Conditioning Costs 101: Cooling vs. Heating
Before we start our deep dive into the perfect strategies to reduce your energy costs, let’s make sure we’ve divided the energy labor correctly.
Your HVAC costs revolve around two elements, it’s either cooling your building in the summer months or heating it up during the wintertime.
Depending on your geographical location and the average weather condition, there might be more of a concern with the heating costs or vice versa.
Therefore, you’ll want to tweak the following strategies depending on the element that’s draining your coffers.
How to Save On Cooling Costs
Generally speaking, the majority of businesses are facing trouble keeping their cooling costs under control.
It’s partially due to the nature of global warming, causing the focus to shift on cooling things down as the ambient temperatures keep rising. Here’s a look at what you can do.
Use Energy-Efficient Cooling Equipment
Sure, this tip sounds like a no-brainer. However, you would be surprised at the amount of energy-sucking air-conditioning units that a lot of businesses would be using.
You’ll want to aim for buying more Energy Star-qualified models, like anything produced by https://www.schneidermechanical.com/, which will save you a ton of money in the long run.
Get Energy-Efficient Water Coolers
Your employees will need to stay hydrated, especially if you’re expecting them to work their best.
If you don’t already have water-cooled ice machines, you probably need to invest in a couple. Just make sure that you’re picking up models that are energy-efficient.
Treat Your Windows to Break the Intensity of Direct Sunlight
Admittedly, you’ll want to keep some exposure to natural light in your workplace.
It’s a great way to improve your employees’ well-being and boost their productivity for free. On the other hand, you’ll want to keep a lid on the amount of heat that direct sunlight can add to your environment.
This will cause your air-conditioning units to work overtime to keep the temperature nice and cool. And, of course, this will consume more energy and cost you more money.
A simple way to cut down on your cooling consumption is to do a couple of window treatments, especially during summertime. Those treatments, which can involve tints and blinds, are great for preventing heat from overly radiating into your building.
Don’t Forget to Use Fans
Fans are one of those underestimated apparatuses that you can easily bring into the cooling fold.
You’ll want to take advantage of using variable speed fans to meet the low points in the season when the demand for stronger ventilation goes down.
Using fans will cost you less when it comes to energy consumption. Yet, it’ll still provide the much-needed cooling relief.
Maintain Your HVAC Systems Regularly
Your HVAC systems aren’t the thing to skimp on their maintenance, regardless of the current season.
You’ll want to schedule regular maintenance for your ventilation and cooling system, It’s the only way to ensure that your systems are operating in optimal conditions, and aren’t draining way more energy than strictly necessary.
How to Save On Heating Costs
On the other end of the spectrum, you have slightly different mechanisms to save on your heating costs.
Let’s start with the most basic of them all, then work our way higher in complexity.
Keep Your Temperature Down
Did you know that you can save up around 10% on your annual energy costs, just by turning your thermostat down by 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit?
You don’t have to even keep this lower temperature for the whole day. Just doing it for eight hours, then switching it back to its normal setting is more than enough to get you those savings.
Moreover, start by checking your current thermostat temperature. It should ideally be around 69 or 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Check for Any Air Leakage
Cutting down on any opportunities for cold air to make its way into your building can help keep your heating temperatures constant, and place less pressure on your system to stabilize fluctuating temperatures.
Start by taking a look at your windows, doors, and any other interior hardware that can allow for gaps to form.
If you found any, you can use weatherproof sealants to close up any of those gaps.
Properly Program Your Thermostat
There’s no reason for your heating system to be working with no one in the office.
You can simply program your thermostat to turn off the heating for all non-working hours. This is a straightforward way to slash your heating costs on a monthly basis.
Select the Right Location for Your Thermostat
Believe it or not, your location of the thermostat can have a direct effect on your energy consumption.
For instance, if your thermostat is located near a heat source, it’ll decrease your thermostat’s ability to detect the right ambient temperature.
You’ll want to keep your thermostat away from any air vents, direct sunlight, or any doors or windows.
Ready to Slash Your Heating and Cooling Costs?
Whether you’re a startup and just barely dipping your toes into business operations, or you’re a giant corporation that’s been working in the field for decades. There will always be different opportunities to reduce your HVAC costs.
Hopefully, our guide has shed some light on the different ways you can save on air conditioning costs.
If you liked our article, you’ll want to check out more tips and advice in our business section.
