By Paul F. P. Pogue
From Ask Angi
For much of the nation, keeping homes cool is one of the most energy-intensive tasks around the house, consuming about 6% of all electricity in the United States. Because of that, your cooling system is often foremost on your mind in summer. Here are four questions to ask yourself to chill out this summer and lower your energy bills.
1. Is My HVAC System the Right Size?
You might think that the solution to home cooling is a bigger and more robust system, but an extra-sized air conditioning system is less effective at cooling than one correctly sized for your home. Heating and air conditioning units measure their ability to add or remove heat from a home in British thermal units (BTUs). Air conditioners are rated per ton, which removes 12,000 BTUs per hour from the home. Every house’s needs are unique, and you can’t measure BTU just by square footage. An HVAC pro can perform the necessary calculations and recommend a system the right size for your home. Too much AC power can be as bad as too little, leading to extremes in temperature and decreased humidity control….